Love Is Blind
by Tea.T
Summary: This is my first story. A Riku and Sora story. They are on Destiny Island, living a normal life like nothing in the game ever happens. Riku has developed feelings for Sora. But unfortunately, Sora likes Kairi. What will happen? Thinking... Yaoi.
1. Chapter One

**Love Is Blind**

Chapter One

Sitting on a chair near the windowsill of the tree house, Riku started to space out. He was not daydreaming though, just staring into nothing outside. He wasn't even thinking at the moment, just looking out and being blinded by the sun's constant light on the tiny island.

The sun was just rising and Riku thought that he was probably the only one awake out of all the children on Destiny Island. Well, maybe he wasn't considered a kid anymore. AT age sixteen, Riku was the eldest boy on the island.

They live on a small island, so there weren't that many people, Riku's only friends were Sora, Kairi, Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka. They were also the only kids on the island, so being called friends were inevitable. Riku didn't mind though. He was fine with it. He had known them since he was five. He was quite comfortable with them all. But there was only one thing that troubles him now that didn't when he was fourteen. This was something he could not talk about. He couldn't even sort it out in his head, nonetheless talk about it.

When a loud call was heard from the tree house, it woke Riku from his thoughtless trance.

"Riku!" he heard a cute, alto voice from below. Riku turned his attention to the caller.

Sora... It was he who called with a waving arm up at the elder boy. Sora's smile was quite noticeable from the distance and also visible was his clearly white teeth. His smile could make even the indifferent boy, Riku, want to smile back. But he did not. It would be out of character.

Riku just looked at his young friend. He was not the type to be as excited as Sora, and he was not the type to yell like him either. He waited for the fifteen year-old boy to say something else.

"Riku!" it came again. That sweet, harmonious voice. "Come down!" the brown spiky-haired boy called, the smile never left his face.

Riku sighed, not out of anything. He just simply sighed and walked away from the windowsill. He found the ladder and climbed down.

Sora waited for his friend to join him. When he saw the silver-haired boy, he smiled again.

His smiles were always so encouraging, Riku noted. A very charming smile indeed. But this smile right now was even more enchanting to Riku because it was for him, intentionally meant for him to see. He cherished these smiled because it was quite frankly rare.

"What?" Riku asked in a soft voice when he was a yard away from the cheerful boy.

"Come on Riku," the boy said, "it's your birthday. You should have some fun. Everyone's out by the shore." Sora started to turn around. "Come on," he said one last time before he began to run.

Riku, by habit, ran after the boy. Whenever it was like this, it always seemed like a race, a race to see who's faster, who's better. That was what everyone thought, and even Riku too until now. He did not want to race Sora to see who was better. No, that was not it. To the sixteen or seventeen more accurately year-old boy it had became more than that. Riku enjoyed it too. It was something they share; only they share. But Riku would not try to change other people's views because deep down he knew that Sora still thought of it as a competitive thing. After all they were still rivals, if not opponents. Even though they were friends they simply oppose each other in so many ways.

Soon, the two boys were side-by-side in front of a camp of friends. Riku may have been able to beat Sora first to the others but he hesitated.

"Riku, Happy Birthday!" Selphie exclaimed with genuine sweetness. She was the liveliest of the bunch, always smiling and always sweet. But she was especially sweet to none other than Riku. The fifteen year-old brunette had a crush on the boy since thirteen. Riku knew but tried not to encourage. He had something else to worry about.

"A very Happy 17th Birthday!" bellowed Kairi. She was a pretty brunette with shining pools of blue. It was obvious by the way Sora looked at her that he liked her in more than a friend way. Riku knew and was aware of this. Somehow, he was never able to stop the feeling in his heart every time he acknowledges this. It always seems to hurt.

"Hitting seventeen, my man," said Wakka with his hoarse voice. He was only a few months younger than Riku. Wakka is a fun guy, foolish but fun. He's always the one with the jokes. Everyone laughs at him with the exception of Riku and even he sometimes gives more than a smile.

"Before you know it, you'll be married," commented Tidus. He's always the one with smart-ass cracks. This blond, blue-eyed boy is quite cute but most of the time he needs to watch his mouth.

This time, he made Selphie blush. Riku was simply trying to ignore it. But he simply couldn't stop himself from looking towards Sora to see how he reacted to Tidus' blunt comment. He guessed that in a hopeful way, Sora may react differently. Instead as suspected, Sora just let out a carefree laugh and his eyes were on Kairi. Riku suppressed the need to gag. Awk. Riku felt something again; something in his chest choking his heart. The way Sora looks at Kairi, so loving and caring, not at all the way he looks at anyone else, not even Riku. Riku was jealous. Why couldn't Sora look at him like that? Why could he at least stop looking at her like that? Why does he feel so heart-broken?

Sora and the others continued to laugh and giggle. "Let's just see who will want him," commented Wakka good-naturedly.

"I know Selphie wouldn't mind," answered Tidus with a mockingly curious stare at Selphie. The poor girl's face was as red as a tomato.

Seeing her distressed friend, Kairi sought to somehow rescue her. "Riku's not bad," she said, not meaning much other than the words itself.

Riku could see a cock frown on Sora's face, but it soon disappeared before Riku could devise it.

Wakka laughed. "Ya, man. If I was a gal, I'd go for you too," he joked.

"Yeah, right, Wakka, like the mighty Riku would look at you twice," Tidus made a counter joke. They all laughed. Riku smiled so he would not ruin his friends' moods.

"At least I'm better looking," remarked Tidus with a pretend anger face.

At this everyone just burst into laughter. When Riku came back into his senses, he looked at Sora, who was laughing heartedly still. He was sitting on the beach sand with both hands on the back to support him. He looked so comfortable like that. He doesn't know that that is a very arousing position; his slumping makes it so sensual. / What about you, Sora? Would you want me/

The rest of the day went by without troubles. Just friends playing and joking around, celebrating one of their own's birthday. At the end of it all, they had cake and Riku received presents from each of his friends. From Kairi was the cake itself, which was delicious. She really was a good cook. From Selphie was a chain she made with great care and time of pebbles and gems she found. From Wakka was a new fishing line. Since they live on this island a fishing line was one of the most useful things. From Tidus was a ball he made himself. He calls it a bliztball and he even made up a game for it. And he is probably the best one at it. And from Sora, the one who matters the most to Riku, was a hand-carved wooden sword.

Riku looked at the sword more carefully in his room. It was carved smooth, the tip sharp to a perfect point that may hurt if a lot of force was used. Riku and Sora had always found with wooden swords like the one he was holding. Although Riku was usually the winner, Sora never gave up. His determination, too, was arousing.

Riku looked at the handle. He felt something, a carving, an engraving. Riku held it up to the light. He read it in a slight whisper. "To Riku. From Sora." Suck simple words, but it was more than enough to make this Riku happy to know that Sora had spent time on the sword, had spent time on him. And the letters were carved beautifully, well; at least, that's what he thought as he held it while laying his head on his pillow. After all, Love is too blind to see the truth.


	2. Chapter Two

**Love Is Blind**

Chapter Two

"Sora. Sora. Sora." From the room of the silver-haired boy, these soft cries could be heard.

Suddenly, his aqua-green eyes opened slightly. Riku was awake now. He closed his eyes again. He knew he had been sleep-talking, he just knew. But he was thankful that no one else heard.

Again, he dreamt of the one person he had found himself thinking about every day.

"Sora. Damn him," Riku mouthed. Haunted by the cute brunet, Riku had not had a single day without going back to thinking about his friend. He knew he shouldn't be, but he couldn't stop it, couldn't help it.

Riku couldn't recall what exactly was happening in his dream but he did know that Sora was in it. Oh, Sora. Sora with his mesmerizing eyes and smile, but most importantly he was smiling at him. And coming closer to him. That was why Riku was chanting his name, encouraging the brown-haired boy to come to him. Oh, how he wished the dream would finish.

Riku peeked out the window. The sun was just blooming with mixed colors of orange, red, yellow, and blue. Beautiful.

Sora must not be awake right now, Riku knew. Then he chastised himself. He was thinking of Sora again. Damn it. Why could he stop?

He thought of how Sora would look asleep. The blankets slashed to the side? Or on the ground? Peaceful face? Scrunched up face? Smile? Frown? Lying on his stomach? Half an arm out of the bed side? Half a leg out of the bed side? Arms and legs apart? Snoring? Drooling? What ever the image, Riku knew that Sora would be just gorgeously cute. Love is still blind after all.

He sighed and then stretched on the bed, trying to relieve himself of his tired self. After a while of resting his thoughts and recovering from his sleep, Riku swung one then both his legs to the side of his bed and got up. He changed and then headed out the door. He had picked his usual clothes; there was no need to change his tastes in clothes, which he preferred mostly black. Sometimes Riku wondered why in the world he would like Sora. Riku preferred darker colors while Sora was brighter than the sun. Sora wears red, blue, and yellow and all those bright colors. Riku liked black period. How could someone like that love someone like Sora. Well, there's something called opposites attract so Riku guessed that that must be it.

"Riku," said a soft woman's voice.

"Good morning, Mother," Riku greeted his dear mother, who had made breakfast already for him. Her mother had beautiful sea-green eyes and long silver hair, thus, is where Riku got his looks. His father was different. He was a blond with blue eyes.

Footsteps were heard coming down the stairs. "Mornin'," said Riku's father. He was smiling as he came down, dressed in his usual tee and trousers. Nothing on this island required them to dress elegantly.

Riku's father gave his wife a peck on the cheek while Riku's mother said, "Good morning," in return. Riku said morning as well.

Sometimes Riku wondered how many times people say 'morning' or 'good morning' in a year or in their lifetime. Was it really needed? Was it important to say 'good morning' to the people around you? Upon thinking about that Riku instantly thought if he had to say good morning to someone everyday of his life it would be Sora. He wouldn't mind greeting Sora everyday in the morning.

After Riku finished his breakfast, he walked outside with the wooden sword Soar gave him with him. His father had already left. Both his parents bid him a good day. They were good parents, good normal parents.

Riku decided to spar in the usual spot that he and Sora had fought many, many times. It was a clear, flat, raised plateau. They liked it. If they stood on the horizontal trunk of the Paopu Fruit tree, they could see the vast sea in clear white-shining blue. And it was even more enchanting during the sunrise and sunset. They had watched it many times, but not much alone, the two of them, but with others like Kairi and their other friends. Riku secretly wished that someday he and Sora would be able to watch the sunset together. It would be romantic...

Riku sparred by himself for a good forty-five minutest. He was good at whatever he does, or so he was told. His moves were so elegant, graceful, quick, and precise. Compared to the spiky-haired boy, Riku was definitely the better sword wielder of the two. But Riku did not think his friend was weak. Sora was not weak. Even though he looked so scrawny and small, Sora was still a good sword wielder. There were handfuls of times where Sora almost got Riku down but somehow, just for some miraculous reason, Riku always managed to reverse his losing position.

He was thinking of Sora again. Damn. It never fails. Everywhere Riku went, he would always have time to think of that brown-haired boy.

Riku stopped to sit on the ground, back resting against a coconut tree. "Sora..." he mouthed, longing to see that boy's face now.

"Riku!"

Riku turned his head to the caller. And he got his wish. Sora was running towards him, a wooden sword in one hand. He was smiling yet again at Riku. Another smile for him. If only that smile was more like the ones the brunet reserves for Kairi. Riku was envious yet again. Why though? Why did he want Sora to smile at him and only at him?

When Sora came up the plank to the plateau, he tripped on something invisible and landed with an eek on his hands and knees. Sora was never really coordinated and sometimes one could call him clumsy, but he was just so cute that way too, Riku thought.

Riku came hurriedly in front of Sora immediately worrying if the brunet was hurt. When he got close, Sora cocked his head up and simply smiled with a ridiculous cute grin on his face and his eyes closed. It was incredibly adorable, not to mention that Riku had wanted and dreamt of Sora on hands and knees in front of him. Sora was simply the innocent thing. Riku wanted him bad. He wanted that innocent thing in his arms.

But Riku shook his disturbing thoughts away. "Get up," Riku said not harshly but plainly, not trying to show any emotions as always.

Sora obeyed and got up. He smiled once again at the elder boy. Then he asked, "Wanna have a little fight?"

Riku grinned. "I'm always up for one." With you, Riku wanted to add.

"K, then," Sora said as he shifted himself into position, his face was now serious.

Even though his face was serious, it was still cute, Riku thought.

"Com'on, then," Riku said with a smirk as he got into his position.

The wooden swords came into a clash and then more clashes. They fought for a good long time. Riku fell twice and got up. Sora fell five times but on the last one he could not find the strength to beat the older boy.

Feeling defeated, Sora pouted up at the silver-haired boy.

Riku resisted the urge to scream or something. That pouting face Sora always makes is just so darn cute. He would love to have the blue-eyed boy pout beneath him or on top of him, he didn't care, as long as it is with Sora.

"I win again," Riku said to break his uncomfortable situation.

Sora got up. "Someday I'll find a way to be on top of you," he grinned.

/I wish you would./ Riku thought to himself, meaning something entirely different than what the younger boy meant.

"Sure," Riku said as he walked over to the Paopu Fruits' tree trunk and sat on the horizontal trunk.

Sora joined him not too long after. He sat beside his friend, wondering what the seventeen year-old was thinking since he always seemed to be thinking.

"Riku," Sora said breaking the silence.

Riku looked into mesmerizing sky-blue eyes. "What?" he managed to ask without sounding as breathless as he felt. He felt a blush come over him but thankfully Sora didn't notice.

"I need some advice, said the brunet, who was not afraid to look at the other's eyes.

Riku looked at his, waiting for him to continue.

He did. "It's very personal but since you're like my best friend, I want your advice."

/Do you really just think of me as a best friend? Just that? Nothing more? Nothing else/ But still Riku felt honored that Sora wanted his opinion on something. "What?" he asked again patiently.

"I think," Sora talked slow, "I'm in love with someone."

That struck Riku's hear badly. Something was tugging at both sides of his heart as if to break it in two. Who could Sora possibly be in love with? Who could steal Sora's heart when he wanted it more than anything? Riku wanted Sora's love. And he would gladly give him his life, his soul for him.

"Who?" Riku asked flatly, trying to hide override of emotions from the boy beside him.

"You probably already know," Sora said. "It's Kairi."

Riku could swear his heart was in two and bleeding. Kairi. He would have thought it. No, he knew it. But somehow he wised that maybe, just maybe with the slightest possibility that it was not true and that Sora would not say her name and maybe instead, he fantasized his name.

Again, why did Sora choose Kairi over him? Sora's not gay, Riku chastised himself. The brown-haired boy was straight, which means that even if he did not like Kairi, he would never love him. Riku had never thought of himself as gay before either. He would not look at another guy the way he looks at Sora, so does that make him gay?

But still, the idea of Sora and Kairi together hurt so very much. Riku wanted to be with Sora. He wanted to be love by him. He wanted to be cared by him. He wanted him. He wanted Sora to belong to him and he would in return belong entirely to his Sora.

"I want to tell her. I just don't know how. I'm so scared to tell her, but I really want to. It's been bothering me for such a long time. Riku, what should I do?" Hearing his love confess feelings for another was like needles going through his hest and coming out from the back, penetrating everything. He felt like he had just been killed and revived only to be killed again.

"Riku?" Sora sounded concerned for the boy who had a pained expression on his face.

Riku looked at the lovely brunet. "Huh?"

"You seem kind of sad," Sora inquired. He thought for a horrible split second of the cause. "Oh god!" he exclaimed, "Do you like Kairi too?"

Riku looked up at the boy who had just stood up in shock. /No, Sora. I love you./

Sora continued, "'Cause if you do, I won't..."

He didn't get to finish. Riku stopped the boy from rampaging into something totally unnecessary. "I don't like her. It's something else." He put on a fake smile. "Don't worry," he chuckled teasingly, which was a bit hard since his throat got considerably dry when he almost wanted to cry. "I won't take Kairi away from you." /But she took you away from me./

If only Riku could say what was in his mind and the feelings he had for Sora. But he can't, not now, not ever. Sora loved Kairi; he could see that and as painful as it I was he had to admit the truth that they would be perfect for each other.

But then wouldn't he and Sora look good together too? Riku could picture them very happy together. Riku would love Sora to the point of death. He would protect him, care for him, and give him anything he wanted that was humanly possible. Sora would be happy and so will he. But that image maybe true to only Riku. Riku might think they may be perfect but love blinds all reason and poisons one's mind.

Love is dangerous, Riku concluded. He should have never loved at all. It pains too much right now. But he couldn't help remembering the times, mostly at night and alone, when he would fantasize about his love for Sora like a girl with a new found crush. His stomach would flutter like butterflies were trying to escape by traveling down his body. He would feel so happy and light from the core down. It was the greatest feeling when he imagined the possibility of him and Sora together.

But love hurt too much right now. Riku regret ever letting himself get so far in love with this boy. That was right; he shouldn't be in love with the boy. Sora would never love him back the way he wanted. Forget it, Riku said to himself, Sora wants Kairi not him.

Tears, so many tears were waiting to be released. Riku had to either get away from Sora or get rid of him. His tears were about to overflow.

"I think you should tell her," Riku said shakily and quickly. He stood up and pushed the brunet's back. "Go tell her now." Riku looked down at the ground, trying not to let Sora see his facial expression.

"Riku, I'm not sure about this," Sora said with uncertainty written all over his pale face as he was pushed onto the plank by his encouraging best friend.

"Don't be a coward, Sora," Riku said, trying to sound like is normal self.

"I'm not a coward," replied the younger boy with an unsure face still on him.

"Just go," Riku said with one last push. "I'm sure she likes you too." /After all, who wouldn't/

Sora was still a bit shaky and nervous but decided that his friend was right. Surprisingly, he suddenly felt excited as if he knew he would be able to do it. He ran now, his goal: Kairi's house. He waved back at the cerulean-eyed teen saying thank you.

Riku turned around instantly after he saw Sora out of sight.

What has he done? He asked himself. He had just encouraged the love of his life to confess his feelings for another person. This hurt, it hurt really much.

Tears ran down his face without him even blinking, it just overflowed. He could think of a way to stop it. It was just too much. To lose Sora was worse than losing his life or his heart.


	3. Chapter Three

Thanks for reviewing. It means a lot to me, considering that this is my first fanfic that I ever let anyone see.

**  
Love Is Blind**

Chapter Three

The rising sunlight hit Riku's window and onto the bed sheets and his eyes. He wrinkled his face feeling the heat of the light on him. He put a hand over his eyes to shield them. Then he slowly opened his aqua-green eyes. He saw the light coming from his window and sighed.

He had not slept very well last night. All night long he was thinking. Even though he didn't want to he was thinking, thinking of Sora. The heart-breaking came back. Right now, Riku wished that he could just fall back to sleep and never wake up. If he was asleep he did not have to feel this pain. If he did not wake up he would not have to face the tortuous day to come.

Riku knew that Sora must have told Kairi about his feelings yesterday. And he could just see them together, hours from now, holding hands. Everyone would know that they were a couple. Then Riku would not have anything else to do but mope for himself.

Riku cursed himself now. He had encouraged the brunet to confess. How could he? He should have said something to discourage him. But then what if Sora was sad? Riku couldn't stand the idea or the image of Sora being sad. He simply could not. He would not make his Sora sad. He wanted him to be happy, the happiest person alive. If Sora will be happy with Kairi then it's alright, right?

Riku laid in bed a few minutes longer, wanting to never get up so he won't have to see Sora. But eventually, he did get up. He grabbed some clean clothes from his closet and headed for the bathroom. There he tried to cleanse himself, cleanse himself of his tears, his injured heart, and his suffering mind.

The warm, hot water felt good when it hit his skin. He washed himself slowly. He let the falling water hit his face to wash away the tear stains that he still felt, then he wiped it with his palm. With soap and shampoo, he began washing himself. But he could quite explain it but something was missing. What would be missing in the shower if you had your soap and shampoo? Well, what was missing was the feeling of happiness Riku usually feels when he cleanses himself in the morning, preparing for another to be with his young friend. Now, it felt awkward. He thought of how Sora would always call out to him at random places where the brunet finds him. He wondered if Sora would ever come looking for him again if he had Kairi. No more happy smiles for Riku.

Riku got out of the shower and dried himself. He dressed slowly, everything he does seem to be slow today. He took out a comb and untangled his hair. Then for the first time in this horrible morning, Riku smiled to himself. He even giggled for a second.

Sora's hair always seemed to look so unmanageable. Riku remembered that there was a day when they and their other friends were swimming in the sea because it was such a hot day. They were having a great time, splashing each other and dunking one another. Wakka picked up Sora and dunked him. When Sora came up, his hair was entangled with seaweed and Riku thought of a tiny crab too was crabbing hold of the brown hair.

Riku giggled again at the remembrance of the image. It had been Riku who helped the blue-eyed boy get the stuff out of his hair. Selphie stopped Kairi from helping the boy because she said Sora was mean, having dunked her into the water. But it was all humor, Selphie was not trying to be mean; the two girls laughed at the poor boy good-naturedly.

Riku started combing his hair. He could still remember how hard it had been to get that crab out of Sora's hair. It had a pretty hard grip. Riku suggested that they cut the hair that the crab was holding. Sora immediately jumped and cried no. Riku laughed at his companion's expression. He was only kidding. So then after a few more tries, they finally got the stubborn little crab out of Sora's hair. But how Sora's hair looked was ridiculously messy. So, thus, it was Riku who got out his comb, which he did not really know why he had it at that time, and slowly untangled the boy's hair. Sora just sat, not protesting to the once in a while tugs Riku made. The others were too busy splashing each other to care for Riku and Sora. Riku was surprised that Sora's hair did not feel at all what it looks like. Once Riku smoothed it out, he felt how silky it really was. How Sora manages to put it like that is beyond Riku.

When Riku finished combing his hair, his smile suddenly disappeared. There will no longer be another time where he could comb his friend's hair. Kairi would surely do that in place of him. Riku got even more upset. He will never be able to get close to the boy like that anymore. "This isn't fair," Riku hissed. He wanted the boy so much. If he was never meant to have him then why did he have to feel this way? Was it just to torture him?

Finally, two drops of tear escaped Riku's eyes. It wasn't fair. This feeling burns and it hurts. Riku used the back of his hand to wipe the tears away. He looked at the wetness of his hand. Riku, the unbeatable, the strongest one on the island, was crying. He couldn't feel worse than being beaten. Sora couldn't beat him at anything, but this surely made up for it. Riku was beaten badly, and being the winner for so long didn't make it any better. God, if he just make this feeling go away, he would give up anything. He didn't need to win anymore. There is nothing to win anymore. He only wanted Sora.

Riku collapsed on the tiled blue floor of the bathroom. One of his hands clung onto the sink. He let himself cry. Even when he said that it was nothing he kept crying. The tears just wouldn't stop. He couldn't make them stop. So instead he leaned his back against the tub and curled his legs up to his chest and cried there with his head on his knees.

When he cleansed all the water from his eyes, his throat was dry and he felt tired. He got up, needing more strength than he thought. He looked at himself in the mirror. His eyes were red. His cheeks had so much tear stains on them that his usual silky white skin was discolored. He sniffed. His nose was red too and stuffy. He looked horrible. Trying to dismiss the image, Riku turned on the sink and splashed some warm water onto his face. It felt good. He did it again, and a third and fourth time, washing away the tear stains and hoping that his eyes and nose would not look as red.

When he finally felt that it was enough, he took his towel and wiped his face. He looked at his face in the mirror again. The tears were gone but anyone could see that he has been crying.

Riku felt so tired. He opened the bathroom door and walked back into his room. It was still early, nothing to worry about. His mother might still be making breakfast. Even though he had cried for an ideally long time, he still had time. He laid his head back onto the pillow and closed his eyes, resting them. He felt drained, but somehow it was better than keeping it all in. That was worse, he decided.

"Riku?" asked a soft, sweet voice from the other side of Riku's door.

Riku's eyes opened. He almost fell back to sleep again. But he got up.

"Riku, are you alright, dear? You're not down for breakfast yet," asked his mother, her tone filled with sincere concern.

"I'm fine, Mother," he lied. Things will never be fine.

Riku walked to the door and opened it. His mother stepped back a little to let her son come out. She looked at him and was deeply hurt to see a very tired and depressed expression her dear son's face. He looked like he had been crying but she won't say anything about it.

"Are you sick, honey?" she asked, hoping that maybe her son would tell her what's wrong, but even if he didn't she wouldn't mind because he is seventeen now.

"No, Mother," Riku answered monotonously. He couldn't possibly tell her what is really wrong.

"You sure?" she tired once more.

Riku just nodded and walked down the stairs, his mother followed him to the kitchen. He saw that his father was already there in his usual seat. Riku took his seat, forgetting to say good morning. His father took one look at his son's face and everything that was supposed to be happy disappeared. He was worried now. "Son, what's wrong?" he asked, his usual loud and exclaiming tone reduced to a soft sound.

Riku looked at his father. "Nothing, Father."

But by the way Riku looked, his father wasn't convinced but he knew not to bother a teenager. It was sometimes better to leave them alone.

"Well, son, if you ever need something just ask," his father said.

Riku just nodded. He looked down at his food and picked at it. He wouldn't usually do that but he didn't feel very hungry. He ate some though just so he won't worry his mother too much.

His father left the house when he finished. "Bye, Honey. Bye, son," he said and then left the house.

Riku finished not long after. He got up and walked to the door mindless. But then it struck him. He stopped, his hands on the doorknob. What was he going to do? Where was he going to go? He couldn't possible go find his friends. He just can't face Sora right now.

"Riku?" his mother said, her head popping out of the kitchen doorway. Riku looked at his mother. "Aren't you going to play with your friends now? Why are you standing there, dear?"

"Nothing, Mother," he lied yet again. He opened the door and walked out. If he didn't, he knew that it would worry his mother and he didn't feel like telling her what was wrong with him. He wasn't sure if he could tell anyone.

Without a destination at all, Riku walked slowly, looking down at the sand his shoes intrude. Miraculously, he came to the tree house. He looked up at it. They had built it, all of them—Tidus, Selphie, Wakka, Kairi, Sora, and him. It was so much fun building it too.

Now, as Riku looks up, he could almost hear the laughter of his friends and the one standing out most vividly was Sora's laughter and his smile. Damn, he really can't get him off his mind for a minute. Everything reminds him of Sora.

Riku decided to climb up to the little tree house. There was no one there. Sometimes, his friends would be there and sometimes he would come alone. It had always been a good place to think besides the plateau with the Paopu Tree.

Sitting by the windowsill, Riku saw the green of the island, the blue of the sea, and the brown of the beach. It was smoothing, calming, but not quite enough. There was still that prick in his heart that makes him want to cry over and over again because of the pain it causes. Will it ever go away? Will he be like this forever? For the rest of his life?

"Riku!"

Riku was hopeful for a moment. It did sound like Sora's voice, but maybe he's thinking so much about him that he's just imagining it.

He looked down. It was Sora. Riku was so surprised that even though he rarely shows something like this, this time he was sure that he showed it.

"Riku!" the spiky-haired boy yelled so that the older boy in the high tree house could hear.

Riku examined his friend. He looked quite happy, in fact, really happy, incredibly happy, unusually happy. The smile on his face was just plastered there. Riku had never seen Sora this happy.

"Riku! Riku, come down! I have something I want to tell you!" Sora screamed for Riku to hear.

Detaching himself from the windowsill, Riku climbed down the ladder. Once he leaped onto his feet, he walked over to his blue-eyed friend. Sora seems so happy. Why? Riku could not help but envy how happy his friend was. He was down right miserable right now.

When Riku reached his friend and was only two feet away from him, he asked, "What?"

Sora's smile seemed to have widened if that was possible. "I did what you told me yesterday."

Riku looked at the younger boy intensely now.

Sora could hardly contain his excitement. "She said she'll be my girlfriend, Riku!" Sora leaped forward and hugged his friend jumping.

Riku could not be more shocked. But some part of him knew this, right? Why was he still shocked? Guess that no matter how much you think you are prepared for it, you will never really be prepared for the one you love's rejection. Well, this was almost a rejection. It certainly felt like it. It felt like Sora saying that Riku would never have a chance with him. Hurt, it hurt too much.

When Sora finally let go of Riku, he jumped around, making noises with so much energy and joy. Riku looked at his friend. Kairi has really made him that happy? Could Riku ever do that? Maybe not. Jealousy again; Riku could not envy Kairi more right now.

Sora keeps smiling and jumping. Riku stood still, trying not to let his friend suspect a thing. But it seems that the happier Sora gets the sadder Riku gets. Yet, if Sora was happy, how could Riku mind? In any case, Riku would gladly give him anything.


	4. Chapter Four

Thank you again for reviewing. I love to read what people has to say. I don't know what to say, makes me feel happy. And I understand how you feel. Riku is having a hard time and it hurts me to do this to him but all will be worse and then better.  I'm sorry if you feel like Kairi is the ultimate bad person here. I really didn't mean to make her sound so bad. After all, in the real game Sora and Kairi are supposed to be together. I don't object to that. I just like Riku and Sora better, a lot better.

**Love Is Blind**

Chapter Four

The next two days was horrible for Riku but for Sora it was heaven made just for him, or at least one would say because of the smile he always seemed to have on his face and all day he would be energetic and uncontrollably giddy.

For the first day, Riku had to sit there, watching as the couple held hands sitting on a log by the campfire. Everyone surrounded them, asking questions. Selphie would squeal and sigh once in a while dreamily, hoping that someday she will be holding hands with the one she loved and talking to friends like the couple were. Tidus just simply approved, saying jokes and cracks to make his friends laugh. Wakka teased and slapped Sora on the back, saying something about what took him so long. While all this was going on, Riku remained silent. He could not say a thing. He really couldn't offer a word of congratulation or such. His emotions ran from bitter to sadness and then loneliness.

The second day did not seem better. They had a picnic. Sora and Kairi stayed by each other's side for the whole time. Already Riku felt lonely without Sora by his side. His eyes were always wondering back to the two and he envied. Kairi without knowing and intention had taken away everything that meant happiness for Riku, leaving him with complete and utter depression. Sora was his light. Without it, what was left?

Already he missed them competing, racing, and even fighting. It seemed so far away now. Felt like it was years since they were really together. It was unfair. After being years of friends Riku still lost Sora. He knew him the best. He knows what this blue-eyed boy liked the most and the least. He knew him so well. And in return Riku was sure that no one knew him better than Sora. So why? Why had Riku still lost Sora? Was Kairi better? Could she be? Could she love him more than Riku? No, that was not possible. This silver-haired teen would give his life if it was for Sora. It didn't make sense. Nothing made sense anymore. How could Sora feel so much for Kairi? What made her special? What made her better than him?

Riku could not dismiss his questions as he stood pole-still in the ocean water, his eyes wondering back to shore where the red-head laid her head on the shoulder of his love. Riku felt the urge to just kill the girl for that moment, but as soon as it came he shook that idea away. Kairi was not, she did not know. She did not know that Riku loved the boy who was now in her arms. How could Riku blame her? He was the one who did not say anything to the boy. He was the one who was late. He let Sora slip away. It was his fault.

Riku reluctantly turned his head away to look up at the sky. The two were too preoccupied with each other that they had not noticed Riku's constant staring.

The sea-green eyed teen, as he stared up at the sky, saw nothing but the dark blue of the early evening. It reflected perfectly upon his mood. There was nothing pretty in the sky to watch anymore. No one knew this, but when people see him look up at the sky, they might assume that he was considering about something troubling or something that needed thinking. It was not that at all. He never thought about the many troubles when he stared into the sky, apart from everyone. He was merely reminiscing about a certain sky-blue eyed, spiky-haired boy. They had always been good thoughts, marvelous thoughts in fact of either how the two were competing or of what Riku hoped to be with Sora.

But now, all of that, all of his fantasies and his wishes, even dreams were suddenly replaced, disappearing by the minute because of his depression. Again he wondered how long he would stay like this. Surely, he could not take more of this. Anymore might even make him crazy.

Riku looked back down at the clear water that was to his knees. He turned around and headed off. He called back to his friends. "I think I'll go now!" Everything seem to stop or more so. They called back in approval.

"Alright!" Selphie exclaimed.

"See ya," Wakka answered.

"'till tomorrow," said Tidus cheerfully.

"Bye, Riku," Kairi said sweetly, her head lifted from the brunet's shoulder.

"See ya, Riku," Sora said in a tone like all the others. There was no excitement, no nothing. Nothing was special about the way he said it. Even Sora's smile was not for him though it was aimed directionally to him. Riku could not feel that joyous feeling whenever Sora had said his name anymore.

Sadly, Riku waved a little and turned away to head home. There was nothing he could do there anymore. Nothing matters anymore. How sad, he thought. Was there nothing else he could do without Sora? For the first time, he actually, realized just how much he needed Sora. Riku had made the boy his life. Without him, what could this silver-haired boy do? What would he become?

Fearful and unsure, Riku opened the front door of his house with his house key. He opened it slowly and with no sort of emotion on his face. He felt blank and looking at the empty living room, dining room, and kitchen only made him feel more void and minor.

His parents knew that he was out. So they must be in bed by now. Riku felt so abnormally lonely as he went into his room and stared out the window.

Finally, he noticed that he was still wet. He walked to the bathroom with no hurry. Almost blindly, he took off his clothing and stepped into the shower. Turning it on, he felt for the soap. Washing his body and then his hair, Riku took longer than usual. Maybe it's because he lacked the usual energy he had or maybe he just felt too sorry for himself.

When he finished, he walked back to his room and sat on the edge of the bed. A night breeze came from the opened window. It moved Riku's hair slightly. He breathed in the fresh night air. Riku had always liked the air on cool nights like this one. It smelled fresh and the coolness of it was smoothing. He closed his eyes for a second to enjoy it.

Then he got up, looking for his briefs in the drawer. He found on and put it on. Since the night was warm, he found no reason to wear more. Edging slowly into bed and placing the covers a little above his stomach, Riku laid there with his head turned towards the window to see the darkness of the night.

Somehow, it was the only thing to relieve him. The moon and stars gave off light that Riku could see pieces of leaves and branches of the outside moving. He liked the silence and calmness the night gifted the island. Riku always thought off the night as a cleansing for the world so the inhabitants of earth could start a new day.

But even with this thought, Riku believed that not even the night this time could cleanse his horrible feelings away. They will stay, for who knows how long? It's not like he is going to wake up one day and forget all about the brown-haired teen. Even if he tried he wouldn't be able to.

Drifting deep into thought about his crisis again, Riku closed his eyes.

He went in and out of consciousness as he thought or dreamt of the blue-eyed boy and him racing towards the Paopu Tree. Riku ran. He ran as fast as he could. But he was happy, running and knowing that Sora was not far behind and if he was not careful the younger boy could catch up to him. He couldn't let the brunet; no matter how much he loved him he would always race him, and he would always try his best to win. What's a race if you don't try your best?

Riku was getting closer to the gorgeously stationed tree. The branches were beautifully green and almost glittering under the afternoon sun. The strange yellow fruits, shaped like stars like always, looked teasingly delicious.

Riku looked behind him for a second in search of Sora. When he did, he was appalled to see no one. "Sora?" he said, stopping and standing in place.

"Right here, Riku!" Sora's voice sweet and cheerful from behind Riku.

Riku turned and saw Sora resting one hand on the Paopu Tree, grinning. Riku could swear that Sora was behind him. Baffled, he didn't say a thing.

"I win, Riku," Sora stated, still with a mockingly gorgeous smile.

Riku just stared at the younger boy, still wondering how he got there before he did without passing him.

Sora just kept smiling. Then, slowly, he grabbed one of the lowest branches of the tree and climbed up. He picked out a ripe fruit and then jumped down. Riku watched intently.

"Now, that I won, Riku, I can do whatever I want," Sora said this in a manner that made it sound so normal while in truth it was really odd. Riku raised an eyebrow. "And I want to...share...the paopu with..."

Riku automatically registered the last word. He knew what Sora was going to say. He covered his ears and cried out. "No! Please!"

Kairi appeared out of no where beside Sora. Riku watched as the two each took a bite out of the delicious yellow fruit.

Riku sank to his knees, feeling like daggers were being drawn into him and then out. He cradled his head back and forth saying no. Hurting, his heart was bleeding. All the pain. Riku shook his head over and over. Then all was gone.

Riku's green eyes popped opened in surprise. He breathed heavily. When his mind finally registered, he laid back down on his bed. He felt sweat throughout his body. All just a bad dream. Yes, it was only a nightmare. Riku tried to relax, telling himself that that never happened, trying to convince himself that it may not happen, hoping that it will not happen.

He finally sighed and closed his eyes for a minute. Then he looked out the window. The sky was a beautiful orange, yellow, and red. It's hard to believe that that little dream took all that time. He didn't understand dreams much. They always seem to show him bad things. Whenever he had a good dream it would just end. They never gave him a good ending. He didn't like it. He rather not have any at all.

After gathering himself mentally, Riku walked out of the room and headed for the bathroom. He did his daily morning routine slowly and oddly. Then he went back to his room and lazily picked out his clothing.

He went down to the kitchen when he was ready. "Good morning, dear," greeted his loving mother.

Riku tried to look at least normal and not sad. "Good morning, Mother."

And as the morning routine went on, Riku's father came down no later. "Good morning, my family," Riku's jovial father said.

"Good morning, Father," Riku returned, again trying to hide his feelings from his parents.

Neither of his parents wanted to see their son like the way he was. Riku looked absolutely heartbreaking. Hid concerned parents wondered what could have happened to cause their son to be like this.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Riku's father said and then he walked towards the front door.

Riku could hear sounds coming from the door but could not make out what his father and another man, he knew, was talking about. He didn't really care either.

When his father came back and sat on the table, he informed his family about what he had just conversed with a neighbor.

"Someone came to the island last night. He's a fairly young man, I think Jack said. He is rather strange. No one really saw his face. The guard just saw him coming and going into the old house in the back of the island. You know, the one that was deserted because a tide washed away the family that once lived there. Well, that guy is there now. I think we should be careful about him. Jack told me that the guard was just terrified beyond reason just from spotting him at the distance."

"Oh my," Riku's mother exclaimed. "I do hope that this is not forecasting trouble."

"Me too," Riku's father agreed.

Riku made no comment. He wondered who that guy might be as to be so bold to live in that old house but why should he care about some new resident on the island? All Riku cared about was Sora and still Sora.

This one wasn't very interesting but the new character is. Guess who?


	5. Chapter Five

I'm so sorry that it took so long and it's so short too. I'm very very and sincerely sorry. I was having my vacation this week so I wasn't home to do this. Sorry. And oh yeah, Ayeshagirl, you're right. Curse you:) Don't take that personally, I was only shocked to know how bad I am at making things mysterious.

**Love Is Blind**

Chapter Five

Yesterday, all everyone could talk about was that mysterious character who came to the island. Riku listened to his friends talk as well but did not contribute. He rather worry about his own horrible trouble.

Riku could hardly stand it. It's hard to be near Sora without seeing Kairi. And Sora hadn't asked Riku for a fight, a race, or anything. Riku had lost years' of Sora's companionship in less than a week. Unfair.

Riku sat on a log around his friends. They were still talking quite enthusiastically about the possibilities of the new islander. A murder? A vampire? An alien? All sorts of ideas crept up into their imaginations.

"You know guys, that what you people say can not possible be true," Riku stated finally.

Wakka looked at Riku. "Of course we know, Riku. And what took you so long to speak up?"

"Scared?" Tidus suggested with humor.

Riku ignored it.

"You know, why don't we check it out?" Wakka proposed the most horrible idea in his entire life.

"Yeah!" Tidus agreed enthusiastically.

"No!" both Selphie and Kairi exclaimed.

"I don't want to bother that guy," Selphie said with a hint of fear in her voice.

"And I'm sure he doesn't want to be bothered," Kairi stated.

Sora laughed slightly. "Guys, I'm sure he's just another normal person."

"Then let's go," Wakka urged. "Com'on, what's the worst that can happen?"

"He could kill us," Selphie whined.

"Not with us here to protect you," Tidus indicated, meaning quite frankly the boys.

"No, I don't want to go," Selphie declared with a pout.

"Fine then, you don't have to go," Tidus said. "The rest of us will."

Kairi rose to protest, "I don't think we should go either."

"Then you can stay too, Kairi," Tidus answered.

"Ya, me, Tidus, Riku, and Sora will go," Wakka said matter-of-factly.

"No," Kairi started to say and then she turned to Sora, "you can't go either. Something bad might happen."

Sora smiled. "Nothings going to happen, Kairi."

"Come on, let's go already," Tidus said dying to know what/who has inhabited the other side of the island.

"Ya," Wakka said while getting up. "I want to get back before dark."

Both Tidus and Wakka got up. "Come on, Riku," Tidus said down to his silver-haired friend.

Riku looked up. He hasn't been listening to the conversation that carefully. He was merely zoning out. But he got the gist that his friends wanted to go meet this new islander and seeing that there couldn't possibly be any danger in this, Riku stood up.

Wakka looked at Sora who was still on the ground next to Kairi. "Sora?"

Sora started to get up. Kairi tried to stop him by grabbing his arm. "Sora! It could be dangerous."

Sora waved her off. "I promise I'll come back to you when I'm done," he said sweetly with a smile.

Riku could feel the lump in his throat harden. Did he really have to stand seeing this all the time?

Kairi reluctantly let go of Sora. She knew that she couldn't restrain him if he said something like that.

Tidus and Wakka flashed some smiles and started to walk. Riku followed and Sora toiled along.

Kairi sat back down with Selphie and began to talk, chatting about if the boys get hurt and then going on about Kairi and Sora's relationship again.

On the way there, Riku said nothing. He looked about his surroundings which contained wild trees and rough-looking bushes. The other side of the island was untamed. All sorts of unidentified plants grew. There were insects but no animals.

Tidus and Wakka talked animatedly about what they would discover. Sora just listened. But he felt somehow odd. The brunet had been with Kairi the past few days and he felt somewhat odd not having her around. Then there was Riku's presence. He acknowledged how uncomfortable he felt around him now. Riku didn't talk at all, nor smile. Well, he rarely does but Sora could feel a rather distressing aura coming from Riku, something that made him feel sorry. Since he had patched things up with Kairi, Sora had not been around his best friend. Instead of waking up and looking for Riku like he usually did, he went to Kairi's. Instead of fighting and competing with his friend, he was holding hands with Kairi. And instead of feeling happy like he should, he was feeling rather cheerless. He was saddened to his friend so distant. The blue-eyed boy could sense the coldness and aloneness of his friend. Riku had absolutely no expression on his face. Sora felt guilty now that he thought about it, he had practically abandoned his friend.

Now that he was thinking, he couldn't help thinking about the times he and Riku had fun together. They weren't actually together for the past few days but Sora had had fun and being with Kairi was great too. But in thinking, he found that it was different from the fun he had had with Riku. Somehow, it was not as good. He couldn't understand it; he had felt fine until now.

Walking through the forest was not long, and it was not that hard either. After all, the island was small and they knew their way around, having been exploring the island when they were ten.

They arrived at the old house before the sun started to set in colors of autumn. All four boys hid themselves behind the bushes and trees near the house. The house itself was broken up and torn. The windows were broken, the roof chipped, and the wood rotting away. The image was one word: uninhabitable.

Wakka and Tidus lead the way to the nearest window so they could peek through it. Quietly, Wakka stole a glance inside the house, hoping to see the mysterious guy. He saw nothing. However, the place did not look as he suspected. The inside was practically clean. It was not furnished but clean; no spider webs, no broken pieces of wood, no seaweed, no moss, no wild plants that could have grown there throughout the years. The inside and the outside looked entirely different.

The other boys looked through the window as well and were as shocked as Wakka was. But since they did not see the guy, they tried to walk around back so they could look through the other windows. They walked quietly. Their steps made no noise, not even a rustle. They held their breathing so that they would not be detected. They crouched and tried to hide themselves but the backdoor suddenly opened. They recoiled, their hearts ready to jump out from their chests. They turned their heads towards the opened door. Before them was a tall man, about six feet, with white-like hair. His eyes were that of burning yellow. He was tan and looked considerably strong. His clothes were strange but not as strange as the look on his face. He didn't seem surprised to find the four boys spying. He didn't look angered either. He showed no emotion what-so-ever. He stared at the boys plainly, his eyes scanning from Wakka, Tidus, Sora, and landing on Riku.

Riku could feel danger from this man. And he was looking at him. Riku didn't move. He couldn't find the strength to even if he wanted to. The man's gaze was weakening him.

Sora found himself staring at Riku's distressed expression and glaring at the man. He did not like how the man was staring at his friend. He found his eyes narrowing and his lips which usually held a smile now held a frown. Why wouldn't he look away? Why is he staring at Riku? Was he planning something? Damn it take your eyes off of him!

Then finally, the man stopped. He returned his focus to all four boys. "Now, what were you four doing?" The man's voice was low and powerful.

Tidus regained some from the shock. He spoke up, trying to be polite. "Sorry, um, sir, we were just wondering through the forest. You know, exploring and then we came up to this old house which we thought no one was living in," he lied.

The tall man's lips curved into a grin. "And I thought you four were spying," he said knowing fully that he thought right and letting the boys know as well. "But now that we now it's a mistake, I will exchange my name for yours," he said, his voice was calm but it made the boys uncomfortable.

"Tidus," the blond mumbled out first.

"Wakka," Wakka said in his accent.

Sora took a little but more time to register whether or not to tell this man his name. He certainly did not like him, his judgment resting upon the man's unwelcoming stare at his silver-haired friend. But he finally decided and he said his name reluctantly with a puff.

Riku felt strangely weak in front of this man. But he managed to say his name without people noticing his shaky voice, which was exactly how he felt. Riku was hardly afraid of anything but he knew that this man was too frightening to ignore.

After Riku said his name, he could have sworn that the man repeated it with his lips. But right afterwards, the man said, "And I am Ansem."

The boys did not reply or say a thing. Right away they knew that that name will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

That man spoke again after he knew that his name had sunk into the minds of the four boys before him. "It is getting late. I would suggest you all go. You never know what might happen out here." Then the last part he said almost to Riku alone. "I'll be seeing you."

Riku felt the words bring him chills. He certainly did not want to see that man again.

Sora noticed Ansem's words and disliked it almost as much as he despised the man who spoke it. No, you will not be seeing us again. And you will not be seeing Riku again.


	6. Chapter Six

kmwsweetness—you are the first one who read chapter five. I'm very glad that someone is still interested in it. Thank you.

Ayeshagirl—be a little patient. I'm working on it. It is Sora and Riku, I wouldn't write about anyone else, but them. I'm only writing about guys. You'll see. And if you read the fifth chapter carefully, Sora was getting a little upset about the whole thing. Oh, and I should say as a warning that Ansem is going to be _trouble_ for Riku.

Quellesirel Peredhil—thanks for reading my story. I'm glad you like it. And I know, poor Riku, but it's going to be better after it gets worse.

DancingMistress—you've reviewed most of my chapters too. I'm very happy to have an audience.

lala—I'm glad you felt something. That means I'm not that bad at expression emotions.

This chapter is short.

**Love is Blind**

Chapter Six

Riku was very disturbed by the meeting with the gray-haired man. The man's image continually pinned itself in his mind throughout the night. He could hardly sleep. Riku had never found himself scared before, scared for his dear life. That man, Ansem, Riku knew he was dangerous from the looks of him. He did not want to see that man again. He wanted to stay away from him as far as possible for that matter.

But that night, Riku couldn't help sensing that someone was watching him. Maybe it was his imagination, because he thought he felt something but if he looked around and out the window there could not possible be anyone watching him.

Thus, Riku turned back to his original state of mind, which was moping for Sora. He couldn't stop his sulking. The more he thought about it, the more he fell into the darkness of his own mind and the more he lost the sense that someone was watching him.

In the morning, Riku felt horrible. He doubted that he will ever feel anything else but horrible for the rest of his life. His parents were worried, he knew. Riku had good parents, and he knew if he told them his secret would be safe and he might even get some comfort but he wanted no one to know. He could not tell Sora now, so what was the use?

For the whole afternoon, he went around walking aimlessly. Once or twice, when he was not thinking of Sora for the moment, he thought he sensed a presence, but when he looked around he saw nothing. Was he paranoid now too? Was he going crazy?

The next day, Riku didn't even bother to go out. He stayed home, in his room. He didn't want to go out anymore, just to see the cute brunet and the red-head together. No, he could not bear that.

Maybe he could stay inside for the rest of his life. He didn't want to go outside anymore. Sora wasn't there, not his Sora anymore. He has nothing else to do, nothing meaningful in his life. Sora was his only meaning. Sora was everything, Sora is everything.

Riku's mother knocked on her son's door. "Riku?" When there was no answer she asked, "Are you feeling well, honey? Are you sick?"

/I'm sick of my life./ "I'm not sick, Mother," Riku replied, his voice less powerful than normal and he sounded so tired.

This only concerned his mother more. She couldn't just do nothing. "Dear, is something bothering you?"

"No, Mother," Riku lied despicably.

"There has to be something wrong for you to be acting like this," his mother stated.

"No, Mother," Riku repeated sounding even more tired than before.

"Then why don't you go outside, Dear, and play with your friends?" his mother suggested.

Friends? Who would he have to see? Sora. How would he feel when he sees him? Depressed and horrible.

Riku looked over at the wooden sword that Sora had made for his birthday. No, he cannot face it, he cannot face him. As strong as Riku was at everything else, this was definitely an exception.

"No, Mother!" Riku raised his voice.

His mother from the other side of the door was shocked. Riku rarely raised his voice to his parents. He was such a nice son. There was definitely something wrong. But she didn't know what and didn't know how to help her darling son. However, she did know that Riku was upset and does not want anymore to bother him any further so she left, feeling very concerned and determined to discuss this with Riku's father.

For days now Riku stayed inside. His depression only becoming stronger and he feeling numb to it. He floated into darkness without realizing, only thinking of his rejected love and loss.

Riku became so pale and he didn't eat much either, only bites of what his mother took to his room. His father was worried, his mother mourned. His friends wondered why he was like this. Sora became concerned for his friend. They went to visit him but to no avail. Riku would not come out. He would not talk to them, not even Sora. Nothing can be repaired. Nothing can be like the way it used to be.

But in this time of terrible melancholy, someone, someone was smiling, enjoying, planning.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Love is Blind**

Chapter Seven

A week passed with Riku gluing himself to his room. Most of the time he laid on the bed, he cried himself to sleep, and he stared blankly at the ceiling. Then one foggy afternoon, someone came to visit Riku again. The person knocked on the door. "Riku?" the person from the other side of the door inquired. The voice was familiar, the most familiar voice Riku knew. Sora.

"Riku, please answer," Sora said pleadingly and with worry in his tone.

Riku really did not know what to say to him. Last time, he just dismissed him like he did with the group of friends that accompanied him, but this time Sora was alone.

The silver-haired teen said nothing.

"Riku...What's wrong with you? Why won't you come out?" Sora hesitated, trying to see if his older friend would answer him first. But when he did not, Sora continued, "Why won't you talk to anyone? Riku, why won't you talk to me?"

If the brown-haired boy thought that this would help then he was mistaken, for it made Riku's eyes swell with tears.

"Go away...Leave me alone," Riku managed to say but with tiredness still evident.

"Riku, why are you suddenly like this? Tell me," Sora requested of his friend to open up.

/Sora, you will never understand./ "I said 'go way'," Riku replied sternly.

Sora felt a bit hurt. Why won't his friend talk to him? They have always been close like brothers, right? Even though they competed with each other a lot, they still were the best of friends. Sora shared his feelings with Riku, so why won't the silver-haired boy do the same?

"Riku, you're being impossible," Sora said louder than he intended it to.

Riku felt angry for being yelled at by his supposedly best friend. It was all Sora's fault that he was like this now. But beside from feeling angry, he also felt like crying more for being yelled at.

When a few moments passed without Riku saying a word, Sora became agitated. "Riku! Riku! Open this door! Why won't you say a thing! Damn it! Talk!" Sora yelled loudly now.

But Sora's words were not helping. Riku only felt worse. Sora was not good at comforting if this was what he thought he was doing.

"Just leave!" Riku screamed at the door. A couple of tears fell from his eyes. Sora was making this worse. Riku felt like crying more than he had been.

Sora, angered by his friend not cooperating, yelled to the door in front of him, "Riku! If you don't talk, then I will leave! I'll...never come back either!" Sora couldn't believe he actually said that last part. He was definitely angrier than he thought he would be.

Lord, Sora was not helping at all. Riku only felt like his heart was being torn again. "Leave then! Leave! I...don't want to see...you...again!" Riku said out of anger and hurt.

The brunet in hearing that felt a thud in his chest and he was angry too. "Fine! I don't want to see...you either!" Sora exclaimed and then stomped away from Riku's door and down the stairs, leaving the Riku inside crying.

Sora himself felt his throat dry too and something coming up that made his breathing hard. His own eyes stung with wetness. He felt like screaming. Why was Riku being so difficult? He only wanted to help. He wanted to comfort his friend. He didn't want to see Riku imprisoning himself in his room like that. Most importantly, he wanted to see Riku again. He did miss him.

* * *

Riku felt dead as he lay on his bed with his face crying into his pillow. He tried not to make any noises though. He never thought it was possible for things to go even worse but after his conversation with Sora it did. They fought, not like what they usually do, but it was something that would remain like a scar. Riku had told Sora that he didn't want to see the brunet when all he wanted was the opposite. He spoke without thinking. He felt too horrible to think.

Now he lost Sora for sure. Sora said himself that he didn't want to see him again. There was no turning back now. This was even worse. When Sora was with Kairi, Sora and he was at least friends, but now Riku lost even the little friendship with Sora that he had. Now, Riku definitely had nothing.

What else is there but to cry over all his losses? And that was exactly what he did, he let his tears fall from his eyes to the pillow, wetting it like it had been for the past few days. He was crying a lot, he knew. He shouldn't be crying so much, he was a boy; he was a man, why was he crying so much? But even if Riku tried to stop himself he could not.

Riku did not know how long he had been sulking, but when he was finally done, he was extremely tired. The rims of his aquamarine eyes were red and his nose was red from sniffing.

This was even worse than finding out that Sora liked Kairi. Riku stared at the ceiling, still sniffing once in a while but his tears ran dry.

This was becoming unbearable. Riku considered killing himself, but as soon as the idea came up, Riku heard a voice.

"Death cannot stop it." Riku heard and it sounded like it was coming from within his room too.

Riku looked around. "Who are you? What are you talking about?"

"Riku, I can believe you forgot me already," a familiar cold, dark voice said.

Riku searched his mind for the mysterious voice. "Ansem," he finally said.

"Ah, I knew you wouldn't forget so easily," the cold voice said, seemingly pleased.

"What do you want? And how is it that I can't see you?" Riku questioned with hardly the boldness he usually displayed. Even the voice of that man disturbed him.

"You feel like dying, don't you?" the voice said.

Riku did not reply. He did feel that way.

"But dying won't stop it. Your soul will still be consumed by all the darkness you have created."

Riku looked around his room as if trying again to see the person who is speaking but saw nothing. "What are you saying?"

"You want to know?" Riku did not answer. "You know where to find me," was the last thing Riku heard before all felt normal again.

Riku, who was more confused than ever, didn't know the dark voice's intentions, but he was willing to find out. Anything to make this misery stop.


	8. Chapter Eight

I'm sorry to those who are disappointed in this story. I myself have problems with it here and there, but I'm not going to abandon my original idea. Well, if you ask me what it was that I originally thought I'll say that I wanted a little torturing. I did get the idea from some random sexual harassment/rape picture I saw somewhere. Majority of the fanfics I read of Riku and Sora makes Sora suffer so instead I wanted to switch things. Sorry, if that isn't what you wanted. I'm not saying that I am going to torture Riku to death, but I need to have some suffering in my fics, I bet all of them will. That's how I get my cruel kicks, I guess.

kmwsweetness—yes, well, yes. Riku is in darkness, that's all part of my 'plan' kind of. Hehe...

Ayeshagirl—thanks for reading. I understand if you don't like this very much. I'm glad you told me that you're going to discontinue reading this. (So I don't really know if you're going to read this. Oh, well! hehehe...)

DancingMistress—relieved that you liked it. I felt mean doing that to Riku but I'm sorry to say that I like sad stories.

kyuu—thank you, I loved writing the argument part.

jem89—grateful that you reviewed telling me that. And no doubt they will be together. Just a little more bad stuff.

**Love is Blind**

Chapter Eight

Sora woke up exceedingly early, the sun was hardly up and it was still dark outside. He laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, staring into nothing and then into his mind. He had lift Riku's house in a stomp of fury that he felt so guilty now thinking about it. Sora had set out to comfort his friend but apparently he did the opposite.

After leaving Riku's house, he went straight home. He neglected to remember that he was supposed to meet his friends who were dying to know how the visit went with Riku. No, the brunet felt abnormally heart-broken to socialize with friends. But why did his heart ache so much, he did not know and was too dense to search for an answer.

Now, Sora could only hope that he didn't hurt Riku's feelings that much by saying what he said.

"But his words hurt me too," Sora pouted as he shifted his body comfortably on his right side. It really was an unpleasant feeling when Riku told him that he never wanted to see him again. Riku didn't have to say that. Sora really wanted to help. It wasn't his intention to fight.

Sora had really missed Riku. He wanted to see him but instead, Riku had to shove him out. It really pained him that Riku would not talk to him. He was his best friend, right? So why won't he talk to Sora?

Riku had always been so dark and coolly calm but this was nothing like him. He wouldn't lock himself in his room, doing hell knows what! What was wrong with him!

Now that Sora thought about it, Riku didn't seem too happy for the past two weeks. He never smiled once at Sora, not that he did that much when he was normal but still Riku would have some kind of greeting towards the brunet. So why has that changed?

"Riku!" Sora screamed in his pillow with frustration. The silver-haired teen was so complicated. Sora, who was the dumber of the two, could not possibly figure out what was wrong with him.

When Sora finally calmed down from his recent exertion, he tried to focus and come up with an explanation to all of this.

Suddenly, something hit him, well, he literally pumped his head on the bookshelf that was nailed to the wall his bed leaned against. He murmured 'ouch' and placed a hand on his possibly bruised head because he had bounced up so fast and strong. Then he thought of the reason he had hit himself. It was because _something_ had hit him; the reason why Riku was acting this way.

Sora thought. /Maybe it's because of me and Kairi. God, damn it! Maybe it is. The way Riku acted when I told him I liked Kairi, I didn't know what it was but it definitely wasn't happiness. Maybe...maybe...Riku does like Kairi/ (Shows how dense he is.) Sora concluded with this result with a frown. Somehow he felt jealous if Riku had feelings towards Kairi. He was envious, in fact, of something. He knew it was envy. But what he doesn't realize is that he wasn't envious because he liked Kairi himself.

* * *

Riku's heart was beating at an accelerating speed as he dressed and walked downstairs. His mother was a little surprised that Riku came down. Riku's father looked at his son, his face filled with questions he wanted to ask the teen. But it would just have to be left unanswered because at it was, Riku would not talk. He didn't even say good morning. He felt too horrible to say a thing. Replaying the argument he had with Sora tugged at his heart. He has got to make this pain go away. 

Riku's mother placed pancakes and eggs in front of the silver-haired boy. He stared at them. Then he lifted his fork, proceeding to put a bite of pancake in his mouth. It tasted like nothing. He was still recovering from his crying, his mouth still numb to taste because of all the noises that threatened to come out of his mouth, making it dry and hoarse.

Riku didn't feel like eating more. A bite of pancake and a bite of an egg and he was done. He got up to leave. His mother looked at him and asked very softly and gently, "Dear, where are you going?"

All Riku managed to say was the word 'out' before he walked to the front door and turned the knob, opening the door in which he had not opened for days and stepping outside to the sand in which he had not laid a foot on or eye on in days.

The bright sunlight almost blinded Riku. He put his hand over his eyes as he adjusted to the brightness. It was certainly warm outside too. He had almost forgotten how it felt to be outside. Strange feeling. But the warmth and the light reminded him of Sora so it was agonizing.

As Riku walked slowly deeper into the forest that will eventually lead to that man's dwelling, he felt extremely uncomfortable and wondered if he would make a mistake in going into that strange man's territory again.

He looked up at the ominous sky and hoped that what was to come wasn't going to be like what this weather was telling him. The clouds looked gray and heavy with rain. The usual warm sun was blocked so that only streams of light flowed past these dust particles condensed with water vapor or so called clouds.

Riku didn't feel good. He was too nervous to even realize that he was shaking. His mind kept him occupied with various thoughts though, thoughts of this man called Ansem. How he was afraid of him. From the first look of the man he was afraid. Ansem had a strong and dark aura, Riku knew the man was no good, but he needed to know if this man who claimed he could help the boy really could. Riku was desperate! He was ready to do anything.

Then, all too soon, Riku was at the clearing, the 'haunted' house before him. His heart started to beat at a rather accelerating rate. His stomach felt queasy like something was inside his stomach doing flips and flops.

Maybe he shouldn't go? Maybe this was a mistake? What if that man was trying to trick him? What if he can't help?

Riku made to take a step back and turn around but he stopped. What did he have to lose? His heart? His soul? Heck! He already lost them! He lost them when he so foolishly let himself fall so deep in love with Sora. Sora...that brunet was all Riku's problems. (But also all his happiness.)

Again, Riku felt a piercing pain at his injured heart. Thinking about Sora was bad, it made even more pain. Riku needed to stop. He needed to forget. He needed to fall out of love with Sora. He needed to get rid of this pain!

With a new-found confidence, Riku returned to walking towards the house slowly. Step by step, his concerns came back to him. All those doubts once again filled his troubled mind. He became uncertain again.

As Riku stood right in front of the gray-haired man's front door, he wondered if he should really knock. He could very well walk away now. But hen he would never know if the man was able to help him. And he'll have to live with his pain. No. Riku knocked.

Almost instantly the door opened. Riku was surprised at the fast reaction. Then he turned weak when he saw the face of that Ansem guy. Riku began to shake again.

"Hello, Riku," Ansem said, and if he was trying to be pleasant, it didn't work. Riku felt only uneasy at hearing his name. "I'm very glad to see you." His tone sounded glad alright but did that mean it was good for Riku?

Riku wanted to say something but he didn't know what. Around this man, Riku felt so weak and powerless.

"Do you want to come in?" Ansem moved back to let entrance for his expected visitor.

Riku still felt uncertain but there was no turning back now. So slowly Riku stepped inside this man's house.

"Sit," the older man said as he led Riku to the living room. It both surprised and unsettled Riku that the inside of the house looked nothing like the outside. It was not normal, not ordinary. Ordinary was plain, and plain was good. This was not.

After Riku sat on the plush red couch, Ansem sat on the sofa next him. "Do you want anything, a drink perhaps? Tea?"

Riku shook his head lightly. Ansem knew his visitor would say 'no' but he asked just to try to be hospitable to the boy.

While Ansem made himself more comfortable in his sofa by crossing one leg over the other, Riku searched for words. What shall he say? Riku was too nervous and deeply frightened of the man to think straight. Yes, Riku was scared of him. Who wouldn't be?

"Riku, do you know you have beautiful hair?" Ansem said oddly in the silence that Riku now would like back.

The silver-haired boy stared at the man in disbelief almost in shock of what came out of that mouth. Beautiful hair? Beautiful? Did that man just say he was beautiful? Even if it was his hair...Beautiful? Riku wanted to scream. His mind was baffled but physically he maintained a still posture. What was this man thinking?

A weak 'thanks' was what came out of Riku's lips. It could hardly be considered audible.

"It matches those nice green eyes of yours," Riku heard the man say next. The teen didn't know how to respond. What was this man doing? "And when you blush, you look lovely."

Riku immediately raised a hand to his cheek and felt that it was hot. He hadn't realized that he was blushing. And his last statement only made him blush redder.

But as Riku concentrated on getting his face to the normal color, Ansem stood up and took slow steps towards the confused boy. Riku looked up at the man in front of him, nearly towering over him.

Ansem dared to lean forward and catch Riku's chin as the boy looked up at him. "So lovely," he said almost in a soft whisper.

No! Riku knocked the hand away from him furiously. "Shut the hell up!" Riku stood up angered but still feeling the stubborn blush. "And don't touch me again!" The silver-haired teen ordered gravely.

Ansem stood straight and completely calm. "Why, I'm sorry." But to Riku it didn't sound like he was.

"You said you could help me! But if you can't, I'll be leaving!" Riku stated loud and serious.

"Let's not be too hasty, Riku," Ansem said calmly with a grin. "I only wanted to get to know you more."

"Cut the crap already!" Riku shouted back at him. Right now this man agitated him, but inside he was still a little afraid. "I'm not here to get acquainted. I'm here to get rid of..." Riku stopped, he didn't know what was the appropriate word for his pain.

"Your feelings?" Ansem suggested. It was not the exact word Riku would have chosen but it was something like it.

"So can you do something about it, or what?" Riku demanded.

"Yes, I can, but you'll have to cooperate," The gray-haired man replied.

"Fine," Riku said, now calmer.

"Now, sit," Ansem said almost too cheerfully, "and relax."

Riku obeyed.


	9. Chapter Nine

DancingMistress—I like reading your reviews. Thanks.

kia—thanks for letting me know you liked it. Sora will definitely do something but that's later, maybe real later. Sora's a bit too dense in my fic. Hehe...

MaChIcHi-cHiBi—thank you so much. So glad that you like it. I like my story too. I have fun writing it. You made me feel so happy now.

**Love is Blind **

Chapter Nine

After Ansem sat Riku down on the couch and merely laid his hands on the boy's shoulder, the pain began to slowly diminish until the boy felt like it was _gone_. Right then he found that the man had actually kept his word that he could help. Riku didn't know how Ansem made the pain _go away_ but he did. Maybe Ansem knew some kind of magic, but all Riku knew when he opened his eyes, was that the pain in his heart seemed dull and he felt different but better. The teen also didn't know why the man would do this but he had not asked. After all, it helped and that was all Riku cared about.

When he thought of Sora then, no piercing pain when through his heart. He felt nothing.

But what Riku found out was that if he thought of Sora too much, the pain would return. That night he did that and in the morning he went to Ansem a second time.

Afterwards, Riku walked along the beach instead of going home and staying in his room. The reason he had done that was because of the pain and now that it was gone or gone for the time being, he had no reason to lock himself in his room.

The gods were either really kind to Riku or they were really hated him, because after a few minutes, Riku saw his friends. Selphie ran up to him with a cheerfully pretty smile. "Riku!" She called, joy written all over her face and she seemed more energetic than usual.

They came up to him quickly. Riku only had to wait seconds before they were all gathered around him. "Riku, man ya alright?" Wakka asked out of concern.

Riku merely nodded, one hand on his hip like he usually did so unconsciously.

"You really had us worried, Riku," Tidus commented. The blonde gave Riku a pat on the shoulders, glad to have his friend back.

"I'm so happy, Riku," Kairi said sincerely, and Riku knew that she meant it. Kairi seldom lied. She was a good girl. Exactly why Sora likes her so much, Riku thought.

And in thinking of Sora, Riku noticed that the brunet was not there. Normally, if the pain was still there, Sora was all he could think of. So this must be a good sign, right?

"Where is Sora?" Riku asked his friends, only curious to know why the boy was not with them.

"Sora's sick," Kairi answered.

"Ya, we're going to see him now. Want to come, Riku?" Wakka suggested.

Riku thought carefully. So Sora was sick. If he was the other Riku, no doubt, he would be running over to the brunet's house with a bowl of soup or something. But he was not now. He was trying to forget the boy so he should not see him. "No," Riku said plainly.

"Why not?" Selphie asked, her eyes in shock.

"I'd like to...be alone for a while," Riku replied. It was true. He wanted to be alone so no one could hurt him.

"Ok," Tidus said, understanding that his older friend wanted some space. Riku's been acting strange so it was only good not to push him.

Selphie was still reluctant but gave up when Wakka dragged her away from the silver-haired teen.

As his friends left, Riku saw on their faces genuine smiles that were for him.

* * *

"Sora, are you feeling better?" Kairi asked as she stood to the side of Sora's bed, her other friends standing close to her. 

"Ya, man, you putting up ok?" Wakka asked.

"I'm ok," Sora replied, his voice hoarse. He had a fever and a strep throat. Poor Sora looked so weak. He coughed.

"Hope you get better soon, man," Tidus said.

"Yeah," Selphie said as she sat on the end of the bed. "Because if you don't, we would be awfully bored with no one to play jokes on and Riku would probably be bored with sparing by himself."

"Riku!" Sora almost popped out of his covers at the sound of his friend's name.

"Yep, it's seems he's alright now," Selphie stated, "We just saw him before coming to see you."

"Did you ask him to come?" Sora asked. It amazed him that he suddenly had the energy to talk when just seconds away all he wanted was to go to sleep. Now, all he wanted was to see Riku. Yet, damn Sora that he still didn't know why. But what he did know was that the mention of Riku tug at his heart strings and he forgot about his fever and strep throat, his mind only thinking of the silver-haired teen.

"Ya, but he said 'no'," Wakka answered.

No? Why didn't Riku want to see him? Was he still mad at him? Sora's chest constricted considerably. He didn't want Riku to be mad at him. And he would have liked that his friend would come and see him, because he certainly wanted to see him.

"Really?" Sora asked as he placed his head back on the pillow lazily and disappointed.

"He said he wanted to be alone," Kairi said softly.

/I hope he isn't mad at me./ Sora saddened significantly. "Would you ask him to come by next time?" Sora asked hopefully.

"Why next time when I can go ask him now?" Selphie exclaimed. She was obviously still stubborn and wanted to drag Riku there. The cheery girl was always the one to get her way.

"It's ok. Next time," Sora said. Although, his mouth said that, his heart told him that he didn't mean it as much as he wanted it to. He didn't want to see Riku next time! He wanted to see him now!

Selphie got up and skipped to the door. "I'll get him! Just wait!" she yelled triumphantly. Then she disappeared through the door.

Sora sighed. Maybe Selphie would get Riku to come, eh? He really wanted to see him.

"Hey," Tidus caught everyone's attention. "How about we play flying chess?"

"Sure," Sora replied. He was happy to have some company. And playing a game would be fun. All he would have to do is roll the dice while his friends could move his ponds for him.

His friends started to set up. They rolled dice to see who would go first. When it was Sora's turn, Kairi had to snap him back to this world. He definitely was not paying much attention. All his thoughts went to Riku.

* * *

"Riku!" Selphie shouted to get the boy's attention. She found him at the usual plateau where he was currently just lying on the Paopu Tree. 

Riku looked in the direction of the caller. Selphie again? He wondered what the girl wanted.

"Riku!" Selphie shouted again as she approached closer and closer to the silver-haired teen.

"What, Selphie?" Riku asked.

"Come on," Selphie demanded as she pulled the other up to his feet.

"Why? Where do you want me to go?" Riku asked, standing his ground.

"Sora's sick. Don't you want to see if he's ok?" Selphie demanded this of Riku.

"Do I have to?" Riku asked back. He felt that his visit would do no good anyway.

"Don't you want to?" Selphie asked again.

"No," Riku answered plainly again, "I would really rather stay here." He was having a good time, just relaxing. With the pain _gone_, he felt so much better.

"Why don't you?" Selphie asked credulously.

"I don't think I need a reason," Riku said.

Selphie had always thought Riku acted cold, but she never minded it, not until now. "Why!" Selphie demanded. She was angry for some reason but her friend seemed oddly calm. "Riku, I don't get it. What happened?" She asked.

"Nothing," Riku said, his temper was being tested.

"Then why don't you want to see Sora?" Selphie asked. Would she just let the subject go?

"What does it matter?" Riku countered.

"You used to care about him a lot, if you think I didn't notice. So why this 'I don't want to see him' thing?" Selphie said. "I have always known, Riku. You like Sora."

Riku looked at the brunette in horror and shock. What? She knew? How?

"If you ask me how I knew, I'll tell you that I'm very aware of the things around me even though you people don't think I am," Selphie stated proudly. "And I used to think just how cute you two were," she added, a smile on her face now. "You always talked to him about things that none of us know."

/Stop./

"I see you watching him almost all the time."

/No./

"And when one time, when we played a joke on Sora that made him cry, you were the one to yell at us."

/I'm not. Stop./

"And when we dumped Sora in the water, you helped him too."

/I.../

"You cared about him so much."

/No! I do not/

"It kind of made me jealous but I was over it. You should see the way I notice you and him sitting there. Looked so romantic and..."

/No! No! No! Shut up! Stop! Hurts! It hurts again/

Riku ran, his hand to his aching heart and his suffering mind. Selphie looked at the form that was fading into a direction she did not know too well. She felt concerned for Riku. Yet, she did not want to follow him, knowing quite well that he didn't want to be followed. So instead she walked slowly back, her heart depressed that she wasn't able to bring Riku back with her.

Riku didn't know where he was going until he recognized the desert forest that led to only the 'haunted' house. All those horrifying emotions for the brunet came back to him as Selphie reminded him of his love for Sora. It hurt badly because.../He'll never love me back./


	10. Chapter Ten

MaChIcHi-cHiBi—I really like reading your reviews. They're so lively. Makes me want to write. Thanks.

MS. Nicolle—thanks for reading. I'm pretty sure that I'm writing about Sora and Riku, hehe. And I know that I have mistakes. I'm just a little lazy. Sorry if that bothers you too much.

Ayeshagirl—you crack me up, you know. But do what you want.

This one's short.

**Love is Blind**

Chapter Ten

There was a smile on Sora's face as his door began to open and he waited for the person or he hoped persons would come in. He forgot to not let his hopes get too high because if it falls, it falls hard and deadly.

That was exactly what happened. When Sora saw Selphie step in without Riku, his smile vanished immediately. His hopes fell, and it hurt. "Where's Riku?" he still managed to ask softly, wanting at least a good excuse for the silver-haired boy's absence instead of thinking that his friend was mad at him.

"Sorry," Selphie apologized. She felt like she failed terribly. "I couldn't convince him to come."

"So, he didn't want to come?" Sora wondered, hoping that Selphie would give him a better answer, but he was cautious this time not to get his hopes up.

"I'm sure he wanted to come," Selphie said based on her utmost opinion. She didn't want to sadden the brunet.

"It's your turn, Sora," Tidus said, interrupting.

Sora had forgotten about the game he was playing. "Hm, I don't want to play anymore," Sora said. "I think I should rest."

"I'll play," Selphie said with a smile, returning to her true self.

"Sure," Kairi said and handed her the dice.

Sora closed his eyes and didn't want to think about how disappointed he was that Riku didn't come to see him, but that was exactly what he thought about. The noise his friends were making seemed like silence since he was so distant from them in thoughts.

"But I wonder where Riku went though," Selphie wondered aloud.

Sora was interested again. "Where did he go?" he asked curiously.

"I don't know, but he ran off in some direction I'm not familiar with," Selphie replied while groaning that Wakka sent one of her ponds back to home.

"But where could he have gone?" Sora inquired.

"I don't know," Selphie answered. Then she yelped with joy when she rolled a six and could get her pond out of home again.

Sora placed his head back on the pillow. Where could Riku have gone? What could he be doing? And why didn't he want to see Sora?

As Sora closed his eyes, he hoped solemnly that Riku was alright and was not mad at him. But whatever it was, Sora swore to fix it.

* * *

The next day, Riku woke plainly, feeling not pleasant but not unpleasant. He ran to Ansem's and got the help he needed to stop his pain. The man seemed only glad to see the boy's arrival. Riku hadn't notice the man's gaze on him at all. If he did, he would have found that it looked quite devious and dangerous. 

Riku got dressed and cleaned up in the bathroom. Afterwards, breakfast awaited him like always.

"Good morning, dear," Riku's mother greeted. She was internally glad that her son had gone out of his room for the past two days and counting today would be three. She hoped that her son would be alright indeed.

"Good morning, Mother," Riku returned. It made his mother smile. "Father," Riku added. His father was already sitting at the table with a newspaper and drinking coffee.

"Morning, Son," Riku's father said, equally as delighted to see that his son's behavior has returned normal. Whatever happened, he didn't want to bring it back up.

Riku ate his breakfast quietly as he did usually. His father walked off to work with a 'bye' to both Riku and his mother.

Then Riku left the house, he planned on sparring so he took his sword with him, but it wasn't the one Sora had given him. He plainly snatched one of his other ones, ignoring the polished wood that now just rested in the corner of his room. Nope, there was nothing special about it now.

Walking at a normal pace to the plateau, Riku felt the place seemed oddly unimportant, not at all like he used to feel when he came here. There was nothing special about it anymore. The sand was just sand. The sky above was not as brilliant as Riku remembered it. The sea seemed boring and just blue. The glittering of the water did not amaze or delight the boy at all. This place now guaranteed boredom more than excitement and wonderment that it had once promised. But nevertheless, Riku prepared himself to spar.

Yet, just a moment later, there came a voice, a calling. "Riku!"

Riku turned to see who was calling him. He was only surprised to see that it was Sora. The brunet smiled brightly, but Riku didn't find it tugging at his heart like it used to. He was relieved for that really. Riku waited as the other boy ran towards the plank and slowed.

Sora coughed a few times, panting for his breath, and when he spoke, his voice was still hoarse. "Riku," he began.

"If you're still sick, you shouldn't be out," Riku said, but somehow it didn't sound like he was concerned. His voice sounded oddly and unpleasantly cold to the blue-eyed teen.

"I'm sorry, Riku, if you're still mad at me," Sora said, looking sadly at his friend, hoping for forgiveness.

"Whatever," Riku said apathetically.

If it was possible, it made Sora feel even worse. "I'm really sorry, Riku," the boy almost pleaded.

"Yeah, fine," Riku said in the same tone as he did the first.

Sora never felt so much pain in his chest. It wasn't fine. Riku wasn't the same. He was so cold. "I mean it, I'm sorry," Sora said again.

Riku sat himself down on the trunk of the Paopu Tree. He looked like he didn't care at all.

Sora felt a rush of some kind of emotion when he saw that in Riku's hands was not the sword he had made for his friend. The sword he had made took Sora a great deal of time and care. He had hoped that it would make Riku happy and that the other would use it. Now, seeing that Riku wasn't using it meant that what Sora made was unimportant to him. /Riku must still be mad at me./ The brunet sensed that there was a desperate need in him to cry. /No. Please, Riku, don't be mad at me./

"You can leave now," Riku said down at the boy who was silent for the past couple of seconds.

Sora looked up bewildered. He didn't understand what was wrong, but there was something wrong. Riku wasn't like this.

"I'm sorry, Riku! What else do you want?" the blue-eyed boy raised his voice in both frustration and an immense feeling of utter dejection.

Riku jumped down and pointed his sword at the brunet. "Would for you to stay away from me be an option?" Riku said rather harshly. He already felt a bit of the pain coming back. He needed to stay away from Sora. He didn't want the pain to return.

"Why? Why? Why!" Sora exclaimed, his voice even worse and he coughed while taking the wooden sword from Riku. "I know you're still mad at me. What do you want me to do?" Sora asked, his tone sounded desperate.

Riku only turned his attention away from the brunet, who looked about on the verge of crying.

Sora moved to be in front of Riku's view. "Riku!" he exclaimed with a pout that was only there to hold his emotions and tears from exploding.

/Sora.../ Riku noted that Sora looked so...so sad with him. And that only made him feel the pain increasing. "I need to go," Riku said suddenly, and he walked away from Sora.

The brunet grabbed his arm. "Wait, where are you going?" he asked incredulously.

/I need to go. I need to go...I can't stay...not here...not with Sora...The pain./ Riku pulled his arm away from the other and proceeded to the only direction he knew he would find solace to all this.

"Riku, wait!" Sora chased after his friend. But Riku didn't stop, he ran towards the beach which he would soon cross and then head to the forest. "Riku! Where are you going!" The brunet didn't stop.

In the middle of the sandy shore, Riku stopped and turned around only to yell, "Stop! Don't follow me, Sora," at the person behind him.

"But Riku..." Sora began, his expression was that of concern.

"I'm not mad at you. So please, just...leave me alone," Riku said before he started to walk away again.

Sora found that Riku's statement sounded so very true and real. Riku was not mad at him after all. But why did he want him to leave him alone? For lack of better words, Sora didn't want to leave him alone! What he wanted was for things to go back to the way it used to be. For a reason unknown to him still, he wanted to wake up, dress, eat, and run with a smile on his face to the place he knew where Riku would be. /Would it ever be like that again/


	11. Chapter Eleven

MaChIcHi-cHiBi—you're like my favorite person out there. Thank you.

animebuddy—yep, I like angst too much.

Ayeshagirl—I hate Ansem too. But I want him in here.

Tipsy-Dragon—I don't like being threatened. hides and pouts Hehe...sorry, I know I'm slow.

Quellesirel Peredhil—Thanks for the review. That sure is an interesting name, does it have a meaning?

Sheepkeeper—many thanks to you for reviewing. I'm not funny or adventurous, so I guess the only thing for me is sadness.

Sorry all for being so slow.

**Love is Blind**

Chapter Eleven

"Ansem, I need your help again," Riku requested as he knocked on the door. He was panting, his heart beating painfully for the one he could not have.

The door opened, Ansem's face holding a satisfying expression. He was obviously glad to see the silver-haired boy. But of course Riku didn't notice. "Come in," Ansem's voice is normal as if they were neighbors and he had just invited him to tea.

Riku rushed inside, his mind only focusing on the pain that he was suffering. He went to sit on the couch where he usually sat. Ansem followed. "Why can't you make this go away for good!" Riku exclaimed.

"Relax," Ansem said calmly as he took his position beside Riku, a hand resting on the other's shoulder.

"Make all this go away!" Riku shouted almost frantically.

"Calm," Ansem said, sitting closer to the teen and slightly stroking the boy's arm.

"You can't make all this go away, can you?" Riku asked skeptically. His voice was so full of distress and pain.

"Riku, you need to calm down," Ansem said, holding the boy's arm firmly.

"How can I calm down! It hurts! It hurts so much! Why? You said you could help! Why is it coming back!" Riku shouted wildly as if he had forgotten everything about how to act cool and calm like he used to.

"Riku, you're acting insanely," Ansem commented, his tone not calm anymore but a little annoyed.

"But why!" Riku cried before he sank down lower on his seat, suffering, feeling nothing but darkness.

Skin brushed against Riku's forehead. He opened his eyes to see consuming yellow ones. "It will take some time. Be patient, my pet," Ansem said softly. Riku tensed, unable to speak or move, obviously shocked by the older man's actions. Ansem brushed his lips on Riku's face, making the confused boy scramble backwards and away from the man.

"What..." was all the silver-haired boy could mutter before Ansem advanced on him again. Riku closed his eyes, feeling weak against the man's caress. When he felt the man's lips coming to his own, he found the courage to move his head, protesting weakly, "No." But it obviously proved useless when his lips were claimed in the end. Riku's mind blanked. He didn't react. /Sora.../ But his mind was still on Sora. Riku started to protest, bringing his hands to other's chest and trying to push him off, but to no avail. /No...Sora.../ There was no doubt that Riku didn't want to kiss this man. He wanted to save his first kiss, for Sora, no other. So Riku struggled, pushing Ansem with all his strength but it only made the gray-haired man reach forcefully for the boy's wrists, holding them down harshly on the back of the couch. But Riku continued to fight back, hoping that it would stop. It didn't. Ansem forced his tongue inside Riku's mouth. The boy tried but wasn't strong enough. As the tongue began its intrusion, it was when Riku's first tear began to fall. /Get away...get away...I don't want this...I don't want you...I don't want anyone but Sora...Sora.../

When Ansem finally stopped, Riku felt his lips were bruised and his tongue numb from the man's biting. He choked on his saliva and coughed, trying to breathe correctly. He had not caught his breath when Ansem took away his right hand, leaving just the left to pin Riku's hands down. The silver-haired teen screamed when he felt Ansem's hand unraveling his buttons and belt. "Stop! Stop it!" Riku yelled to the older man. /Sora...help me.../

Almost hearing Riku's thoughts, Ansem lifted his head to rest his face at the crevice of Riku's neck. "Thinking of Sora again?" he asked skeptically. "Forget about him. He doesn't care about you. He doesn't love you. Forget about that Sora," Ansem continued to say in a smooth tone. His words made Riku ponder and now the boy was dead stiff in his thoughts. /Sora...Sora doesn't love me...He'll never love me no matter how much I love him...I know...I know...but...I can't forget about him...I know I need to...I need to forget about him...It hurts so much because I can't forget him...But do I really _want_ to forget Sora...I _love_ him. I _don't_ want to forget about him./

"No! I don't want to forget Sora!" Riku shouted his new-found decision. "I don't!" he exclaimed, shaking his head to make his point.

"Why not now?" Ansem asks disdainfully. "I thought he hurt you. Why don't you want to forget him?" Ansem bit Riku's sensitive pale skin, making the silver-haired boy suppress a cry. "Don't you remember? He told you that he loved that girl, Kairi," he bit Riku again, his teeth feeling sharp against the tender skin of his neck. "He loves her, what are you going to do, Riku?" Ansem asked as he cocked his head up to meet emerald eyes.

Riku's expression was of confusion again. He thought again. /That was right. Sora loves Kairi./ Just the thought of the love in which Riku yearned for so much but Sora gave to Kairi was making Riku feel spears at his heart again, painfully piercing. /Sora.../ Riku cried, tears falling from his cerulean eyes to stain his face. "I..." was all Riku managed to say.

"Maybe you want me to kill the girl?" Ansem inquired. Riku looked into the other's eyes in surprise. "If I kill that girl, how do you think that boy you're in love with would feel? Do you think he'll love you then?" Ansem's words were entering Riku's mind and affecting the core.

/Kill Kairi? If Kairi dies, Sora will not only be sad, but if he finds out that I had something to do with it, he'll hate me forever. I don't want him to hate me. And even if he doesn't find out, what then? He'll mourn for Kairi, he'll still love her. He won't love me because Kairi died./

"Maybe I should try it," Ansem declared, standing up and releasing Riku. "Plus, I don't like the girl anyway. I'll kill her for you," He said and started to walk away from the couch.

Immediately, Riku jumped up and grabbed the man's arm. "No!"

"Why not? If she's gone, everything will be fine, right? I'll just kill her. Nothing could be easier than that," Ansem said, his tone showing that he knew full well that Riku didn't want the girl dead.

"No! Please don't!" Riku pleaded. /Sora would be sad. I can't make him sad. I'd rather him be happy with another. I want Sora's love, but even if Kairi died, he will never give it to me./

"Let go, and I'll go do you a favor," Ansem stated scornfully.

Riku held on. He can't let him kill Kairi. It would kill Sora as well. He couldn't let this man do that. No matter what, he could not have Sora suffer. "No, please, no," Riku murmured, shaking his head slightly. "Please, I beg you, don't kill her. I'll do anything you ask, just don't kill her," Riku stated solemnly. He let go of the gray-haired man's arm, feeling totally empty inside, as if he had just sold his soul.

With the hand of the arm Riku was holding onto, Ansem lifted the silver-haired boy's chin. "How cute," he mocked, a hateful smile on his face.

Riku just stood. His eyes looked as if not blinking, as if he was lost in his own mind. /I really couldn't let Ansem kill Kairi. It would hurt Sora. He loves her. I can't let him suffer something like a broken heart. I can't. I won't. Sora, I'm sorry. I wish I could say I love you./ Riku felt everything being lost all at once. And he just stood there, he can't catch it back. His heart stopped. His mind stopped. Everything was nothing. Tears swelled up in Riku's blank eyes. He didn't blink when two trails of tears stained his face. He didn't move when Ansem lowered himself above him. He didn't say a thing when he felt the man's hands. He didn't protest when the man kissed him.


	12. Chapter Twelve

animebuddy—you're so funny. Of course I'm going to kill him, what kind of think I am if I let Ansem get away with hurting Riku? (I know I did it but that's beside the point.)

Jackie—it made you cry? I'm so happy to hear that. Really, I'm so glad that someone cares.

Black rainfall—I didn't know making Ansem gay would be surprising since there are just so many these days. Hehe...

Tavern-Tsuki—thank you so much. I can't express how much I appreciate people's support.

runaway-raindrop—I like writing angst, that's why I made this story. I don't know when the happiness is going to kick in yet though...

tenkage onna—wow, I can't believe you still want to see Riku cry. I'm having trouble dealing with all the pain I've caused him. I'm so sorry, Riku. But yeah, I think he's going to have to cry some more. Hehe...

Quellesirel Peredhil—yep, but now thinking about it I can almost hear Sora saying: "What the...kill her, I don't care, really I don't."

**Love Is Blind**

Chapter Twelve

Emptiness, darkness, loneliness, that was all Riku could feel. But most importantly, he could feel love anymore. No, not any of that sort of emotions. So empty did his heart feel. The mention of Sora did not give him pain anymore. Although he still felt a darkness in him, he could not rid it. But this darkness was different. It took away his emotions, leaving him to feel nothing. It was what Riku wanted after all, to feel nothing for Sora, but somehow it really wasn't what he had asked for.

It has been a week now. Riku has been going back to his friends, only to find that they keep asking him what was the matter or what was wrong with him. He would always say nothing, and they would always have that concerned look on their faces, but dismisses it nonetheless.

"Riku, pass the marshmallows, please," Selphie asked as they all gathered around a fire on the beach.

Riku picked up the bag on the floor next to him and handed it over to the happy brunette. "Here," he said, but even though he was saying something, his face didn't change at all. That was how it was for the past week.

Sora had noticed this of course and was horribly worried. The Riku before them was not the Riku he had known since childhood. It pained to see Riku like this, but what could he possibly to if Riku said there was nothing wrong or wouldn't even tell him anything. But at any case, it was still comforting to see Riku coming out and spending time with them even if Riku was different. Maybe growing up changes people, Sora thought and made that his reason not to pester Riku.

"Ya, me too," Wakka exclaimed to Selphie who took a few and handed the bag to him. She then put two on a stick and started to hover it over the fire. Her pretty smile signifies that she was waiting happily for the marshmallows to roast.

"Pass it here," Tidus requested and Wakka gave it to him. Next, he gave it to Kairi who thanked him and then she gave it to Sora.

Sora took a few, popped one in his mouth, and handed it to Riku with a smile. It was a smile Sora had often given Riku, one of those smiles of running up to him. He could always see Riku's satisfaction in them, but when Riku said, "Thank you" plainly, Sora could not help but feel like everything had gone horribly wrong. He didn't expect the silver-haired teen to smile back or anything of the sort, but he did expect him to react somewhat, but instead Riku's expression was emotionless like how he reacted to everything lately. It did not make Sora feel good at all. Even though Riku wasn't locking himself in his room anymore, Sora could still feel that he was sad, and he wanted to make everything better for him. The spiky-haired boy really did care a lot for him. Riku was important, he just didn't know how or why important.

Now, everyone was roasting their marshmallows. The cheerful Selphie suggested that they sing to which both Tidus and Wakka objected. But the energetic girl insisted, singing by herself a song called, 'Simple and Clean' to which they all love. She urged Kairi to join in to which the red-head could not refuse. They sang beautifully, a little out of the original but it was pretty nonetheless. They made it their own. The boys simply listened, Wakka and Tidus almost surprised by how nicely Selphie sang, Sora admiring the pleasant voices of the two, and Riku just listened without much more than a hint that he liked it. He didn't dislike it, of course, he just didn't seem like he clearly enjoyed it. Really, there was nothing Riku enjoyed anymore, not even when sparring with Sora or the contests they held. Riku simply did what he would normally do but without a smile, or more words than needed, or anything else. He just seemed so dead, broken, like a puppet without a soul.

After Selphie and Kairi were done with their song, the brunette offered a joke to which they all laughed, well, Riku was an exception. Then Wakka and Tidus joined in for jokes, then just funny stories, which turned to scary stories. All the while, Riku was expressionless, and Sora could not stop looking over his shoulder to check on his silver-haired friend. And every time, the brunet was disappointed to see that Riku didn't find anything funny, stupid, or scary. Riku just listened, putting a marshmallow in his mouth when it was roasted enough.

The circle of friends talked for almost an hour straight. It was getting to the point where the sun would go down. They planned on a good view of the sunset. The fire was getting smaller too. It was Riku who offered to get some more firewood. "I'll come with you," Sora jumped out of his seat. "We can get more that way," he said smiling at his friend beside him. Somehow, the brunet knew that even if he didn't offer to go along, his heart would follow his silver-haired friend.

Riku just nodded in agreement and began to walk away from the others. Sora followed, feeling a bit uncomfortable but then being with Riku was always nice even if this Riku was not the same as before, he was still Riku.

They walked in silence. Riku did not have anything to say to the brown-haired boy while Sora could not think of anything. He wanted to start some kind of friendly conversation with Riku but just couldn't find a subject. Disappointed in himself, Sora walked on. They soon came to the little cabin that the adults let them use their advantage. They stored just about anything they could think of and among them were some firewood in which they stored away for just the occasion.

"How much do you think we'll need?" Sora asked as they entered the cabin.

"We won't be staying over midnight, so maybe just five logs," Riku replied as he bent down to pick up two logs, handing them to Sora. The brown-haired boy felt useless while standing there with the two logs as the other grabbed his three. Now he wondered why he came anyway if he is only going to carry two logs, but if Riku were alone then it would be harder for the silver-haired boy to carry. Still, even if Sora understood that, he couldn't help but feel useless.

Sora closed the door behind them, somewhat relieved that he was able to do that and not let Riku be the one. Walking besides his friend, Sora truly felt uncomfortable.

While Sora was thinking of ways to communicate with his friend, he managed to dismiss a root that grew just under where he was walking. So it was needless to say that the boy fell with a surprised shriek. Riku looked back, a bit shocked to see the other had landed flat on the ground, the two logs spread some ways apart from the one who was carrying them. Riku made his way to his fallen friend, quickly laid down his logs and tried to get Sora up. "You okay?" he asked, at least he sounded a bit concerned.

"Yeah," Sora replied wincing in pain which was the result of his fall. Riku helped him sit up so that he wasn't face on the floor anymore. When he was done groaning, Sora looked at his friend. He half expected Riku to say something like how clumsy he was, which was what the old Riku would say, but it never can, thus proving to Sora again that Riku has undoubtedly changed.

Riku looked almost blankly at his friend. He noted some sand and dirt on Sora's clothes, sand on his palm, dirt on one of his elbow, and a cut on his knee with sand and dirt covering it. The scrape was barely serious, just skinned with a small trace of blood. Yet, it was dirty. Seeing that, Riku looked up and saw the little pond that was near the small cave in which he and Sora had explored when they were younger (you know, the one with the door). He stood up, leaving Sora looking questioningly at him. He heard a faint 'hey' from the blue-eyed boy but continued to walk towards the water.

Pulling out a handkerchief, Riku damped in the water and then ringed it but not completely dry. He walked back to where Sora was curiously watching in his still sitting position. Riku knelt down and began to carefully clean the wound, wiping the dirt and sand away.

Sora stared with such unease. His body felt tense, his heart was beating faster, and he could not stop the increasing redness that was gracing his face by the second. He noted how gently Riku behaved while cleansing his cut which he had not noticed until Riku had started wiping it. The cold water stung but it felt alright, in fact, it felt more than alright, it sent waves of happiness through Sora's heart, or maybe it was the person that did it.

Out of nowhere, Sora thought of hugging the boy in front of him. It was not a foreign thought. He had hugged Riku before—when they were children, when they were happy, when they congratulated the other, and when they were laughing and needed support from the other because of the uncontrollable laughter. But those other hugs were different; they were shared between best friends. What Sora thought of now was not that, not a friend type hug but one of a different and more passionate relationship. It really did not make sense to Sora but he understood what his heart was telling him. He just didn't know why.

However, his opportunity slipped when Riku rose from his position, having been done with what he was doing. He went back to the water to rinse it clean, ringed it, and then tried to wave it drier. He didn't put the wet cloth back in his pocket as he walked back to where Sora was still sitting. The boy looked so intent as he tried to sort out his thoughts. It was not until Sora saw Riku's outstretched hand that the boy woke from his little trance. Taking it, Sora stood up on his two feet. The cut stung a little but it was nothing compared to the boy's injuries when he was a mischievous child.

"You can walk, right? Nothing is broken?" Riku asked, but it was not as concerned as Sora would have liked it to be.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sora answered, picking up his two logs. Riku took his and they began to walk back. Riku didn't say anything else, leaving Sora to his thoughts. The younger teen was sure that something must be wrong, because he felt so strange back there, a feeling that was never revealed to him. However, he didn't know if it was a bad or good feeling since it felt like both. It was just all so weird.

But while Sora's little cute mind went on working, they were nearing their friends. "What took ya?" Wakka asked, knowing that the cabin wasn't that far away and that they should be back minutes ago.

Waking up from his thoughts again, Sora replied sheepishly, "Sorry, I fell."

"Fell? Fell where?" Kairi asked both confused and concerned. For some reason, Sora wished that same concern could come from Riku.

"It's nothing, just a scrape," Sora answered, indicating his so-called wound. He then sat next to Kairi again putting one of the logs in the almost worn out fire and setting the other on the ground beside him.

Riku stood for a second before he placed the three logs on the floor in front of his seat. "I'm going now," Riku informed apathetically.

"Where are you going?" Sora asked. He knew he has asked it before but he couldn't help it. Riku hasn't answered him since though. The silver-haired boy would say he was going but he never told them where.

The silver-haired boy turned to leave, but Sora would not let him walk away peacefully. "Wait, Riku, where are you always going?" he asked, his face contorted with a troubled and somewhat hurt expression at not being told the information.

"You must know?" Riku asked simply.

"Yes, Riku, please tell us," Sora said in a plea. He really wanted to know where his friend was going. One minute they would all be playing and then the next, Riku would say he needed to go. It wasn't right. Where did he have to go? Why? It was too strange to dismiss anymore.

"Very well," Riku replied. He doubted that giving the information would do any harm. "The other side of the island," he said before continuing his stride.

/The other side of the island? What's there/ Sora pondered for a moment before he had an answer. /Ansem! No, what would Riku do there/ There was a fire that sparked at the realization that Riku was going to see Ansem. Maybe Sora was selfish, but he didn't like Ansem, and he didn't want Riku to see him. Remembering the day they first met and Ansem's particular smile on Riku was disturbing, sickening, and most of all infuriating.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Sorry everyone. It's been a very long time but I have school now. I can't believe those teachers. Well, anyway, I have a little decision I would like all of you to help me make. I don't know if I should have Riku be the uke. Tell me, would any of you like Sora as a seme? I haven't read one yet like that so I wonder if I should. For me, I could picture them either way. There's no particular for me since they're both the same gender. I wonder how many will disagree with me. Anyway, thanks.

**Love Is Blind**

Chapter Thirteen

Not one day had Sora felt completely happy since Riku had been acting strangely. Somehow a miserable feeling lingered in his heart and he couldn't escape from it. It was horrible to see Sora becoming depressed in his own way. He didn't smile as much, that's for sure. Those strange but beautiful smiles Sora often gave to the world was gone now, only forced smiles but then even they were seldom. Some times he wanted to stay in bed because there was nothing outside for him to look forward to. Of course, his friends were there, and Riku would be there too but there was something missing in these days. The feeling of happiness felt like it had disappeared for centuries and might never come back.

There were also times when Sora felt angry towards Riku. Why had the silver-haired teen changed so much? What was it that made Riku like this? And maybe above all his questions and wonders, Sora found one that aggravated him the most, and it was the one that troubled his mind most of the time. Why does Riku go to the other side of the island so much? What does he do there? Sora had concluded that Ansem was a part of something and that only made him even more disturbed. There was also a mixture of jealousy too. He had lost a best friend and to who? To a stranger whose eyes could probably pass for a cat's in the nightmare. For all Sora knew, Ansem could be dangerous. He has never seen Riku physically hurt so there was no proof. But there was still no doubt that this man was dangerous. Plus, Sora didn't like him from the start, and swore he never will. There was no way he could possibly like someone who took Riku away from him.

Sighing, Sora turned his body so that he lay on his side, trying to conceal himself in bed. He didn't want to wake up. He felt much better asleep. Not caring about anything in his sleep, he didn't feel anything. It was much better this way. The misery couldn't get to him in his sleep...yet.

"Hey, Sora," came a gentle voice from the other side of the door. Sora only looked up from his pillow, still unwilling to move. "Honey, you haven't woken up yet? You should be down here by now. Your breakfast is on the table. And didn't you say that you were spending time with Kairi today?" Sora's mother stated gently, wondering in her active mind what was wrong with her usually so full-of-life son.

Sora sighed heavily, "Okay." That made his mother walk away from the door for the boy could hear the footsteps becoming distant and then gone. Sitting up, Sora rubbed his eyes. He still felt like he needed more rest.

But finally Sora was sitting o the edge of the bed, lingering. His body felt heavy and thus he didn't' want to move. Yet, after a minute he forced himself to. Getting up, he felt his whole body weighing heavily on his feet. His vision blurred and his head throbbed for a moment. Sora considered using this as an excuse to stay in bed but knows it would be gone within seconds. This happened to him before, often standing up too fast and feeling dizzy and wobbly. But all those other times, Riku was there to steady him, to give him a hand so the brown-haired boy would not fall. Now, Riku wads not here. Now, Riku was not the same. Sora could not stop the abundance of loss in his heart. Was there a chance he could go back in time and fix what-ever had been wrong? But even if that was possible the blue-eyes teen still couldn't reason out a cause. Was it his birthday gift to Riku? No, how could that be? Maybe if they hadn't gone snooping on other side of the island? Maybe if they didn't meet Ansem? Could that be it?

Poor boy still didn't know it was because of his confession to Riku about Kairi that started it. Guess, it was too much for his cute little head to pick up on. Poor Sora, and poor Riku for his love was still unrecognized.

Bitterly, Sora walked out of the room and into the shower, hoping the water would give him comfort. It might have but when the boy turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, any source of solace was gone. Sighing, Sora dried himself, his movements slow with no energy on his face. He went back to his room to dress with a large towel around his waist. He picked out his usual clothes, but as he put them on he didn't feel as proud of them as he did so long before. And he didn't bother combing his hair so now it looked messier than usual. But it doesn't matter, after all, there was no one to look at him anyway.

Downstairs, he found his mother in the kitchen washing the dishes. Sora's father had already left. "Dear, are you not feeling good?" asked the mother.

Sora considered this for a moment and said, "No." Then he sat down and poked at his pancakes which were already cold.

"You want me to microwave it?" his mother suggested, her focus not moving from her dishes.

"It's 'kay," Sora replied. Then he put some syrup on it, and with a large silver fork he sliced a piece to put in his mouth. The second the pancake was in his mouth he disliked it. It was not the pancake for his mother was a good cook. It was the syrup, something was different in the taste and he didn't like it. Well, he never liked syrup that much but this tasted worse. He didn't want to eat it anymore because of the taste so he set the fork down. "Mother, I'm going," he announced.

Sora's mother turned her head to look at her son and then at the barely touched plate. "What about your breakfast?" she asked.

"I'm not that hungry," Sora said. It was the truth. Then he proceeded to walk out the door. His mother didn't say a word to stop him.

Walking slowly, Sora felt like there was nothing to do. He didn't want to do this and he didn't want to do that. He didn't even want to see his friends. There was nothing interesting these days. But when Sora neared his friends, the first thing he noticed was that Riku was there and then secondly he saw some unfamiliar characters.

He spotted four characters, each looking very descriptive from the other. There was a blond, and all the other three were brunets, two male, and two female. The female with long hair had on a long pink dress and yellow wrists bands. The other with short hair looked considerably like a ninja. The two men both carried a powerful looking sword. It was needless to say that all four of them are not natives; they looked as if they were from another world. They looked mature, strong, and wise. And they seem to be friendly considering that Sora's friends were smiling at them, their lips moving as if having a really good conversation. Sora was not in earshot of the things they were saying but their expression was pleasant. He walked slowly over.

* * *

This one's so boring, I know. I'm sorry. I really wish I could come up with something better. But this one shows how sad Sora is. And the story is coming to an end. I hope... 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Ok, I have to apologize again, don't I? I've been sick so I didn't feel like it and plus SCHOOL! It's the school's fault! So, anyway, I got some reviews on saying how Sora should not be seme. I was not surprised about that. But I'll tell you what I am surprised about though, I was amazed to get two reviews supporting Riku as the uke. It made me happy actually because making Riku the uke was my original thought. I like to do things differently. So, what I'm thinking is a split. Yeah, split, that's what I'm going to call it. I'm going to write two alternatives. One with Riku as the uke and the other Sora as the uke. So you can have which ever you want. Original would be Riku as uke though. Hehe...I love Riku! I just want to see him differently!

**Love Is Blind**

Chapter Fourteen

Ever thought introductions were boring? Well, if they were then they probably weren't done the right way. But in any case, this introduction in particular, Sora was sure he'd never forget. The tall brunet, Squall Leonheart, was a very professional man, a mask covering any traces of his emotions from other. And this was the same with Cloud Strife, the blond one. He had on a series face mirrored to Squall's or Leon's. These two men radiated a light of superiority and visions of an unpleasant and tragic past. Form the first few glances of these two, Sora knew they held power and was respected. And from talking to them, he discovered that the reasons for their behavior must be linked to all the events they've experienced, most of which unwillingly. It was not their fault that they look to others as indifferent and without emotions. Sora felt sympathetic for the first time in many days. He had been sulking and whining about his own life, but now he thought about these two men, both their experiences surpassing Sora's in tragic and sorrow. It's a pitiful to even think Sora suffered as much as they had.

But the girls seemed happy. Yuffie, the ninja, never ceased to offer a childlike smile and neither would Aerith, the one in the pink dress. Either they are trying to pretend or they have already forgotten about all the hardships Sora was sure they'd experience, or they were hiding among another kind of mask, the same and yet different from the men. At these times Sora thought of how envious he was of women, they can laugh and smile so easily. Just like Selphie and Kairi, they don't seem to offer any sign of unhappiness. Ah...but if only the boy knew that being human is tough no matter what the gender, male or female.

"Hm, may I have a glass of water?" Yuffie asked, "I've been talking for so long and my throats gone dry."

"Sure," replied Kairi who got up from the couch of the living room where everyone now resided. They had all gone back to Kairi's house. (All except Riku of course) The outsiders talked and told the teens where they came from or should I say Yuffie and Aerith talked while Leon and Cloud would pitch in rarely. Was it really possible for two people to act so alike? Sora wondered.

But at any rate, Sora learned about them. They were officers or something of that nature. They've carried out various types of dangerous missions. And from the listener's point of view, Sora thought it was an exciting life. But from the end experiencing it, is another matter.

What interested the blue-eyes teen were the mentions of criminals/rivals, Seifer and Sephiroth. It seemed there was a reaction from either Leon or Cloud every time the name Seifer or Sephiroth was said depending on which. Yuffie explained the best she could of Squall's/Leon's relationship with the Sorcereress's Knight, Seifer Almasy, having not been there to see it herself and only heard of it. But there was a more gruesome detail of Sephiroth from Aerith. Through all this Sora listened and felt ashamed for thinking he had the worst when these people had a lifetime's and more of danger and hardships.

But also in listening, Sora felt that there is not as much hate in the two men's heart than there was sorrow in seeing the expressions on their faces. They emitted not of anger or hatred but a deep depression and misery. For this, Sora did not know why but it would have something to do with Seifer and Sephiroth whom Sora both had the impression that they were not, in nature, as bad as the things they did. And it was for some reason that Sora felt attachment and comprehension for the two men, like they were experiencing a state in which Sora might end up. Certainly, Sora did not know for sure what compelled him to feel this way but the feeling was there and he acknowledged it. (Something he should do more often. sigh)

"I'm getting stiff," Tidus complained as he was sitting on the floor all this time listening.

"Let's so play some blitz, ya?" Wakka suggested immediately afterwards being bored himself.

Tidus rose from the ground. "You're on! And you know I'd win, slowpoke!"

Wakka stood up promptly. "Let's just see, shrimp!"

And so the two ran out of the room after a short good-bye.

The two clowns, though, managed to leave two of the guests with a smile. Yuffie laughed at their display, her thoughts obviously thinking of something else in which Tidus and Wakka had reminded. This was the same with Aerith. However, the two men were not so amused.

While Yuffie was still laughing she came up with something totally irrelevant, "Do you have a hot spring here? I was hoping that I'd get to relax."

Selphie was the one to answer her with a rather proud smile, "Of course, we do."

The ninja girl smiled in gratification. "Thank god," she said while getting up. "Take us, take us," Yuffie repeated, lifting her friend in pink up from her seat.

And before Sora knew it, he was left alone with the two quiet men. A half a minute passed, they said nothing. A minute goes passed, they were still. Two long minutes goes away, no one was talking. It seemed that they were intent on keeping their mouths closed as if they were always in meditation.

Sora, uncomfortable, said nothing. He was not eager to start a conversation either, so instead he thought again, something he had been doing all too often and all to much. /Riku.../ What else can Sora be thinking about other than he best friend whom he couldn't see anymore, at least not the _old_ Riku.

When Sora looked over at the two handsome men, he mused at their expressions which were so similar that the blue-eyes boy needed a moment to register which one was Squall/Leon and which was Cloud. They both sat on the couch composed like articulately sculpted statues whose glory and shine ran away with the deaths of their sculptors. How strange, how sad, Sora thought. On the external point of view they look not like ones who were afraid or weak, but Sora, the small teen felt their radiance of utter emptiness of power and sympathized with it.

The sat and looked in the space before them. They were not mesmerized in thought, at least not anymore. Their eyes were clear, only clouded with long-lost memories that even they could not recall anymore. How did they become like this? Sora asked himself. Why were they so...full of lifelessness? No one could be born this way, could they? No... And who were Seifer and Sephiroth to them?

"Hey," the brunette finally spoke directed at Sora and if it was not meant to be nice, it lacked kindness, but if it was meant to be mean, it needed harshness; it didn't sound like anything, no emotion in his word, just like his expression.

This was very creepy and it bothered Sora. He looked confused at the taller man. "Yes?" he managed meekly and softly, hardly audible.

"A boy like you shouldn't look that way," Squall replied.

"What do you mean?" the teen inquired.

"It's unusual for someone who smiles so much to not smile anymore," the blonde commented.

It only added to the boy's bewilderment. /What are they talking about/

"Don't let the most important person in your life slip away," Leon said quietly, getting straight to the point.

"Not like us," Cloud added briefly.

It was then that Sora looked at the two men in comprehension. However, they knew Sora didn't know exactly what they were implying but as if finding the answer he had been looking for, Sora smiled and stated firmly, "I won't."

* * *

I know this one's boring. I'm so so so so sorry. At least, ya know that I'm not quitting this. 


End file.
